{"id":218493,"date":"2026-09-15T15:11:36","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T13:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/?p=218493"},"modified":"2026-09-15T15:11:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T13:11:37","slug":"the-drina-does-not-divide-us-but-unites-us-dodik-sends-a-strong-message-at-the-celebration-of-serbian-unity-day-in-banja-luka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/the-drina-does-not-divide-us-but-unites-us-dodik-sends-a-strong-message-at-the-celebration-of-serbian-unity-day-in-banja-luka\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cTHE DRINA DOES NOT DIVIDE US, BUT UNITES US\u201d: Dodik sends a strong message at the celebration of Serbian Unity Day in Banja Luka!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Banja Luka<\/a><\/em><\/strong> Serbian Unity, Freedom and National Flag Day was marked with a central ceremony. Serbia\u2019s delegation was led by Serbian Prime Minister in a caretaker capacity \u0110uro 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\u2019s language, script and faith.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dodik: Fighting for freedom means fighting for one\u2019s language, script and faith<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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 Vu\u010di\u0107 that September 15 would be celebrated as a joint holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor 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\u2019s day,\u201d Dodik said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that fighting for freedom means fighting to have our own language, our own script, to be free and subjugated to no one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey 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\u2019s people. That is why I see our people united and gathered around the freedom that should be a covenant for all of us,\u201d Dodik added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dodik emphasized that Republika Srpska is a historical creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe 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,\u201d Dodik said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Macut: They hoped in vain that we would not come, the Drina does not divide us but unites us<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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 \u0110uro Macut said at the central ceremony marking Serbian Unity, Freedom and National Flag Day in Banja Luka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 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,\u201d Macut emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will respect the Dayton Peace Agreement, and together we will build roads, bridges, infrastructure and hospitals,\u201d Macut said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that the tricolor is not merely a piece of cloth with three colors \u2013 it carries our ancestors, victories, defeats, sacrifices and our freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet 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,\u201d the prime minister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlthough 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,\u201d Macut concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mini\u0107: The word freedom embodies the essence of the Serbian people<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Mini\u0107 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday 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,\u201d Mini\u0107 said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that he knew the smell of a trench, fear and uncertainty, but also knew what duty meant and what the homeland meant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll 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,\u201d Mini\u0107 said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnfortunately, 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,\u201d Mini\u0107 emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patriarch Porfirije: The unity of our people has deep roots and a firm foundation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all know very well that different types of unity exist within communities \u2013 economic, social, psychological, national, biological \u2013 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,\u201d the patriarch said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cBut, thank God, throughout history \u2013 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\u2019s own word has shaped us through the centuries \u2013 it is our first and last name,\u201d Patriarch Porfirije said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The patriarch emphasized that it is impossible to authentically and truly love our neighbors if we do not love Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen 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 \u2013 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 \u2013 life in Christ that sets us free with true freedom,\u201d the patriarch concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MORE TOPICS:<\/mark><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWE WON\u2019T LET THEM TREAT US LIKE TOURISTS\u201d: Drivers from BiH, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia to protest tomorrow, threaten border blockades if Brussels does not back down!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WITH THE MONEY OF CITIZENS WHO HAVE NO WATER: \u010ca\u010dak spent two million on a Breskvica concert, but only around 60 people attended!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEW BLOW TO EDUCATION: Government preparing a law that will punish everyone \u2013 teachers could lose their licenses, while students could be transferred out of school!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE MEDAL SERBIA HAD BEEN WAITING SEVEN YEARS FOR: Marko finishes second at the World Rowing Championships, silver shining like gold!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

HUMAN AND SPORTING GREATNESS: \u0110okovi\u0107 sends powerful words to one of his greatest rivals on his induction into the Hall of Fame! (VIDEO)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GATHERED IN HONOR OF RATKO MLADI\u0106: Thousands of citizens across cities in Republika Srpska also took to the streets last night to pay tribute to the late general! (PHOTO)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>RTS<\/a>, Foto: <\/strong>RTS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Banja Luka Serbian Unity, Freedom and National Flag Day was marked with a central ceremony. Serbia\u2019s delegation was led by Serbian Prime Minister in a caretaker capacity \u0110uro 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2169,"featured_media":218494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[116,587,14303,4160,218,592,113,578],"class_list":["post-218493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-balkan","tag-balkan","tag-banjaluka","tag-dan-srpskog-jedinstva","tag-drina","tag-milorad-dodik","tag-republika-srpska","tag-srbija","tag-zastava","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t