President Stevandic Attends Ceremonial Academy to Mark the Meeting of our Lord

The President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, Dr. Nenad Stevandic, attended today in Banja Luka the ceremonial academy to mark the Meeting, the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia and the Statehood Day of the Republic of Srpska.

The academy at the Sports Hall "Borik" was also attended by the Presidents of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, Aleksandar Vucic and Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister of Republic of Srpska Radovan Viskovic, Prime Minister of Serbia in office Milos Vucevic, His Eminence Metropolitan Jefrem of Banja Luka, ministers and MPs of Republic of Srpska and Serbia, as well as members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Serbian Armed Forces, the Republic of Srpska and Serbia police, and other guests from the public life of Republic Srpska and Serbia.

Addressing the audience, the President of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, said that the Republic of Srpska is stable and that the Serbs are the same people who have the right to celebrate each of their holidays together.

“President of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Aleksandar/ Vucic, welcome to the state of the Serbian people, the Republic of Srpska, which for the first time celebrates the Meeting of our God as its statehood day!”, said Dodik.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that it would never happen again that Serbia would impose sanctions and blockades on Serbs on the other side of the Drina River.

“We have learned our lessons. Therefore, harmony, togetherness, unity, and concord are words that must apply to all of us,” said Vucic.

He reiterated that Serbia would not turn its back on the Republic of Srpska, its leadership, and President Milorad Dodik, who always showed a human face towards Serbia whenever it was difficult.

“You did not turn your back on Serbia and stab it in the back like many have done in history. We will never forget that,” Vucic said.

This year, the Republic of Srpska is officially celebrating the Meeting of our God as Statehood Day for the first time under the slogan “Unity and Pride.” This slogan reflects the fundamental values ​​that are the foundation of the Republic of Srpska's statehood, calling for unity and strength and emphasizing the importance of preserving and strengthening Srpska.

On June 8 last year, the All-Serbian Assembly decided that the Meeting of our God, February 15, the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia, would also be the Statehood Day of the Republic of Srpska and that this date should be celebrated unitedly and jointly.

The celebration of the Meeting of our Lord will continue tomorrow when President Stevandic will attend a ceremonial welcome for Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in front of the Palace of the Republic, after which he will participate in a meeting of delegations from the Republic of Srpska and Serbia. Later in the day, he will attend the presentation of medals to deserving individuals and organizations at the "Banski dvor", and then the ceremonial opening of the new facility of the Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery at the "Dr Miroslav Zotovic" Institute in Slatina.