Sarajevo/Banja Luka - The Bosnian Serb entity that forms part of Bosnia-Herzegovina will not take Kosovo's example and seek independence, Bosnian Serb Premier Milorad Dodik was quoted as saying Wednesday by the Banja Luka daily Glas Srpske. Dodik said that the Srpska Republic would only seek independence if its current status was endangered.
Dodik said that the leading Bosnian Serb party that he heads - the Independent Social-Democrats (SNSD) - "will seek a referendum on independence if (the entity's) status is questionable, which did not happen because of Kosovo's independence."
"I think the independence of Kosovo only strengthened the Srpska Republic," said Dodik.
Dodik also accused the Bosnian Serb nationalist parties, the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) and Radical Party (SRS) of trying to score political points among the people by calling on Bosnian Serb authorities to demand Srpska's independence following Kosovo's independence.
"They (SDS and SRS) are trying now to manipulate people's emotions," said Dodik.
Earlier this week the international administrator in Bosnia, Slovak Diplomat Miroslav Lajcak warned that "there is not a single issue related to Bosnia-Herzegovina's future that depends on Kosovo."
"Bosnia-Herzegovina is not a hostage of Kosovo," Lajcak said.
Commenting on demands by Bosnian Serbs to secede, Lajcak warned against taking steps against peace and stability in Bosnia- Herzegovina.
