“THE DRINA DOES NOT DIVIDE US, BUT UNITES US”: Dodik sends a strong message at the celebration of Serbian Unity Day in Banja Luka!

In Banja Luka Serbian Unity, Freedom and National Flag Day was marked with a central ceremony. Serbia’s delegation was led by Serbian Prime Minister in a caretaker capacity Đuro Macut, who said that Serbia threatens no one, but wants peace and stability, and that the Serbian people have fought for their freedom throughout history. SNSD President Milorad Dodik said that fighting for freedom means fighting for one’s language, script and faith.

Dodik: Fighting for freedom means fighting for one’s language, script and faith

SNSD President and chairman of the organizing committee for the central ceremony Milorad Dodik said that in 2020 he had agreed with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić that September 15 would be celebrated as a joint holiday.

“For the sixth year now, both in Republika Srpska and Serbia, that is exactly what we are doing. Unity, the covenant of the Serbian people, of all those fighters for freedom who have ever had the opportunity to fight for it. Freedom, a sacred, exalted, historical, ethnic, ethical and every other word, worthy of life for Serbs. Freedom that we fight for, never give up on, freedom that means fighting for our identity, for our people, for our Serbian Orthodox faith, its church, fighting for our patron saint’s day,” Dodik said.

He added that fighting for freedom means fighting to have our own language, our own script, to be free and subjugated to no one.

“They wanted to erase our most important dates from our memory, and that is why it is important that both in Banja Luka and Belgrade we show our Serbian unity. We do not build our identity out of hatred toward others. Identity is built through love for one’s people. That is why I see our people united and gathered around the freedom that should be a covenant for all of us,” Dodik added.

Dodik emphasized that Republika Srpska is a historical creation.

“We are indifferent to BiH, because it is a deception of our people. Whoever strikes at Republika Srpska has struck at Serbia as well, and vice versa. That is why those in Sarajevo must learn some lessons, because they want to organize life through hatred,” Dodik said.

Macut: They hoped in vain that we would not come, the Drina does not divide us but unites us

Serbia threatens no one, but wants peace and stability, and we have fought for our freedom throughout history, Serbian Prime Minister in a caretaker capacity Đuro Macut said at the central ceremony marking Serbian Unity, Freedom and National Flag Day in Banja Luka.

“The Drina has never been a river that divides us; for us, it has always been a river that unites us. Serbian unity is our right to be who we are, to remember our ancestors and preserve the Cyrillic script. That does not mean uniformity, but there are no divisions when it comes to Serbia, unity, freedom and the flag,” Macut emphasized.

According to him, there are symbols that make up a state, but also symbols under which the entire Serbian people gather, and that is freedom – a word that was also written on our flag throughout history. He stressed that Serbia will always stand by Republika Srpska and preserve their unbreakable and strong ties.

“We will respect the Dayton Peace Agreement, and together we will build roads, bridges, infrastructure and hospitals,” Macut said.

He added that the tricolor is not merely a piece of cloth with three colors – it carries our ancestors, victories, defeats, sacrifices and our freedom.

“Let the Serbian tricolor proudly fly in Belgrade, Banja Luka and everywhere our people live. Long live Republika Srpska, long live the Republic of Serbia, long live our flag, Serbian unity and the Serbian people,” the prime minister said.

Macut traveled to Banja Luka by car together with ministers from the Serbian government after authorities in BiH denied permission for the Serbian government plane to fly through its airspace.

“Although many hoped that we would not come because of the transportation problems, here we are, together with other ministers from our country in Banja Luka,” Macut concluded.

Minić: The word freedom embodies the essence of the Serbian people

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minić said that it seemed to him that another year of unity and friendship had passed too quickly, because it had passed in freedom, and he believed that was a reason to be happy.

“Today we remember those who, more than a century ago, had a very difficult goal before them and did not ask how many kilometers there were or how many enemies. Behind them they had children without fathers, mothers without sons, and above them they had a flag. And they set out and succeeded. That very word freedom, that word constantly drives us forward, that word embodies the essence of the Serbian people,” Minić said.

He said that he knew the smell of a trench, fear and uncertainty, but also knew what duty meant and what the homeland meant.

“All those who were prepared, for the sake of Serbian survival and therefore Serbian unity, to think of nothing else but the homeland knew it, and the homeland exists, and can exist, only when it is free,” Minić said.

He added that he believed that today we were showing with our entire being that Republika Srpska and the Republic of Serbia are one united homeland space.

“Unfortunately, it is always the subject of some administrative borders, some natural borders and so on. We know what we aspire to: for the Drina to be the backbone, and for Serbia and Republika Srpska to be the two lungs of one body, one people, one faith, one history, one culture and everything else that we share,” Minić emphasized.

Patriarch Porfirije: The unity of our people has deep roots and a firm foundation

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije said at the ceremony marking Serbian Unity, Freedom and National Flag Day in Banja Luka that he felt greatly blessed because we had shown that we are one people, one faith and one church.

“We all know very well that different types of unity exist within communities – economic, social, psychological, national, biological – but we know that they have a limited duration, a beginning and an end, and that over time they can turn into their opposite and into contradiction,” the patriarch said.

He stressed that any unity based exclusively on human and anthropological values and parameters, no matter how good it may be, cannot be lasting.

“But, thank God, throughout history – regardless of all the forces, whirlpools, storms and tempests that have battered it, our people have remained steadfast. The unity of our people is not like others that rest on temporary values, because it has deep roots and a firm foundation laid by Saint Sava and strengthened by Prince Lazar. That is the cross and the Orthodox faith. It is unity without beginning or end, and Christ’s own word has shaped us through the centuries – it is our first and last name,” Patriarch Porfirije said.

The patriarch emphasized that it is impossible to authentically and truly love our neighbors if we do not love Christ.

“When you are one with God, it is impossible not to love your neighbor who is beside you and whom God has given you. That is what unity means – everyone is unique and unrepeatable, while at the same time one with Christ and one with their neighbor. May the Orthodox faith be our flag, the Church the space of unity, and life – life in Christ that sets us free with true freedom,” the patriarch concluded.