WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
The announced rally in support of the president of the Bosnian entity Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, who was sentenced last week to a year in prison and a six-year ban on political activity, was canceled without official notice, due to low membership turnout and apparent discord within the SNSD, while Dodik himself left BiH.
The SNSD leadership said that it was "crucial to provide support to the institutions of Republika Srpska and President Dodik".
According to earlier announcements, the rally was to be held on Thursday in Banja Luka, with organized transportation of members and activists from all over the entity. The SNSD municipal and city committees invited interested parties to register to attend. However, the plans soon fell through.
“The details of the organization were supposed to be confirmed at the sessions of the Presidency and the Main Board of the SNSD scheduled for the same day. However, none of this happened,” the report states.
Nebojša Vukanović, a member of the RS National Assembly from the Movement for Justice and Order, states that the reason for the cancellation of the rally was the low turnout of the membership, the disobedience of some cadres, and the general chaos within the government.
“In just one day, plans were changed several times – without a date, without concrete decisions, and without any strategy,” Vukanović wrote.
The same chaos, it is claimed, also accompanied the announced Special Session of the Republika Srpska National Assembly, which was supposed to discuss the Dodik verdict and a potential referendum.
“Members of the parliamentary majority were invited to consultations without a clear agenda, without a formulated referendum question, and even without a confirmed date for the session,” said Igor Crnadak, a member of the PDP.
According to Vukanović, Dodik, amidst domestic political uncertainty, is deciding to travel – first to Montenegro, where he is expected to meet with former US envoy Richard Grenell, and then to Spain, in order to renew contacts with international officials.
“This is an attempt at external consolidation and seeking support outside of BiH,” Vukanović said.
At the same time, the Court of BiH confirmed that Dodik had filed a request to replace his prison sentence with a fine.
“This move, which many interpret as a de facto acceptance of the verdict, comes after it was previously labeled ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘politically motivated,’” the published report states.
