Minister of the Foreign Affairs of BiH Igor Crnadak issued a decision that representatives of the Ministry cannot participate in activities related to the organization of the commemoration in Potocari on the 11th of July 2016, as announced from the Information Office of the MFA BiH.
Crnadak made this decision because of the statements of the Mayor of Srebrenica, Camil Durakovic, whose recent statements that he gave in the name of the organizers, are completely opposite of the main foreign policy of BiH, which is the development of good neighborly relations.
Although it will not participate in the organization of such event, MFA will assist ministers and other high officials during their stay in BiH through the activities according to its diplomatic protocol and in accordance with the law and its international obligations, as added in the statement.
“I want to remind the public in BiH that all three peoples, both entities and all key political figures and parties are committed to strengthening relations in the region, especially relations with its closest neighbors, Serbia and Croatia, as well as Montenegro. In accordance with this, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I want to clearly state that all officials from all the countries in the region are welcome in BiH, anywhere and at any time. Having in mind statements of Mr. Durakovic, who said that the Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic is not welcome in Srebrenica, it is clear that one of the main priorities of foreign policy of BiH is threatened in this way, which causes huge damage to BiH. The right of everyone in BiH is to invite or not invite anyone at the meetings they organize, but it is also a right and obligation of the Ministry not to support and not to help the organization of events that are contrary to the basic priorities and interests of the foreign policy of BiH. I am very sorry that I had to make this decision, because I honestly respect all the innocent victims of Srebrenica and all other execution sites in BiH, but I could not afford that the MFA becomes part of anti-European atmosphere, created by the statements of Mr. Durakovic, which would jeopardize the interests of BiH and its foreign policy position,” said Minister Igor Crnadak.
(Source: faktor.ba)
