Post by radovic on Jul 8, 2008 9:21:26 GMT -5
Dodik Removes Bosnian Flag from Meeting
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Milorad Dodik08 July 2008 Sarajevo _ Milorad Dodik, the Premier of the Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska, has sparked outrage by removing the state flag from the table during an official meeting.
Bosnian media on Tuesday showed footage and photographs from the official meeting which Republika Srpska Premier Milorad Dodik held with local officials in the southeastern town of Trebinje, which he visited on Monday to discuss development plans for that municipality.
Television footage and agency photographs from the start of the meeting showed Dodik removing the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the table and leaving there only the flag of Republika Srpska.
This move especially infuriated media in the other Bosnian entity of the Federation.
Before broadcasting the footage, Federation Television warned its viewers they might find the video upsetting and commented that it should be up to Bosnia’s public prosecutor to determine whether Dodik’s action was against the law.
Ever since assuming power in Republika Srpska in 2005, Dodik and his ruling Party of Independent Social Democrats, have become notorious for their radical rhetoric and threats of possible independence and secession. Dodik has repeatedly stressed that Bosnian Serbs would retain the right for self-determination as long as Bosniak (Muslim) leaders call for the abolition of Republika Srpska.
Dodik has been stepping up his rhetoric in recent weeks, and analysts see this as a part of his pre-election campaign ahead of the October local elections.
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Milorad Dodik08 July 2008 Sarajevo _ Milorad Dodik, the Premier of the Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska, has sparked outrage by removing the state flag from the table during an official meeting.
Bosnian media on Tuesday showed footage and photographs from the official meeting which Republika Srpska Premier Milorad Dodik held with local officials in the southeastern town of Trebinje, which he visited on Monday to discuss development plans for that municipality.
Television footage and agency photographs from the start of the meeting showed Dodik removing the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the table and leaving there only the flag of Republika Srpska.
This move especially infuriated media in the other Bosnian entity of the Federation.
Before broadcasting the footage, Federation Television warned its viewers they might find the video upsetting and commented that it should be up to Bosnia’s public prosecutor to determine whether Dodik’s action was against the law.
Ever since assuming power in Republika Srpska in 2005, Dodik and his ruling Party of Independent Social Democrats, have become notorious for their radical rhetoric and threats of possible independence and secession. Dodik has repeatedly stressed that Bosnian Serbs would retain the right for self-determination as long as Bosniak (Muslim) leaders call for the abolition of Republika Srpska.
Dodik has been stepping up his rhetoric in recent weeks, and analysts see this as a part of his pre-election campaign ahead of the October local elections.