BELGRADE (Sputnik) – Up to 15,000 opposition activists gathered at the central park in the Republika Srpska capital of Banja Luka to protest what they deem to be a corrupt government and economic hardship, according to the BiH’s Dnevni Avaz daily.
The two groups are separated by 2,000 police officers and cordons less than a mile apart. At least 150 radical groups members from Serbia were refused entry to BiH to avoid potential clashes.
On Friday, Dodik called on the opposition to cancel its mass demonstration and promised the same from his supporters, urging instead to negotiate peacefully.
The Republika Srpska is an administrative entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was established in 1995 following a three-year civil war.
In mid-February, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Bosnia and Herzegovina had officially applied for EU membership. Dodik said Republika Srpska did not oppose BiH's accession, provided that the entity's authority was not called into question.
