“In light of media reports about the protest note sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to Serbian institutions, we must express our astonishment at the content and intent of such a diplomatic demarche, particularly in view of recent events and actions by official Sarajevo,” stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Elmedin Konakovic, sent a protest note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia on Thursday, warning that official Belgrade’s participation in the celebration of the unconstitutional January 9th as the Day of the Republika Srpska (RS) “dangerously and harmfully” affects relations between the two countries.
Namely, the ceremonial academy held on Wednesday in Banja Luka was attended by the top officials of the Serbian government, led by Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, as well as the President of the Serbian Parliament, Ana Brnabic.
In the statement from the Serbian Ministry, they emphasize that it is “incredible and deeply concerning that the authorities in Sarajevo consider it appropriate to send protest notes to Serbia while simultaneously officially hosting Albin Kurti, whose policies and actions clearly violate Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
They view this act as a flagrant disregard for Serbia’s position on the issue of Kosovo, a stance firmly based on international law and supported by United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 1244.
“Kurti’s reception in Sarajevo was not only a one-time insult to Serbia but also a dangerous precedent that undermines regional stability and mutual respect. With this act, Sarajevo consciously ignored Serbia’s legal and legitimate interests, further straining relations between our two countries,” the statement reads.
The Serbian Ministry concludes that the sending and publication of this note is yet another confirmation that its authors are not interested in fostering good neighborly relations, much-needed cooperation, or mutual respect. Instead, they seem focused on another round of media squabbling, hoping to gain political points while underestimating the public in both BiH and Serbia.
“On the contrary, Serbia has consistently shown the utmost respect for the territorial integrity of BiH. At no point have we ever questioned BiH‘s integrity as a state. Furthermore, Serbia has impeccably fulfilled its obligations under the Dayton Peace Agreement, contributing to peace and stability in the region. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for certain political actors in Sarajevo, whose rhetoric and actions often contradict the principles of the Dayton Agreement, creating divisions and instability within BiH itself,” the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
Serbia has always sought to build constructive and fair relations with BiH, based on mutual respect and cooperation, they add in the Ministry, calling on their colleagues in Sarajevo to reflect on their actions and their implications for regional stability.
They firmly believe that dialogue and mutual understanding, rather than unilateral provocations, should guide the relations between neighbors.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia reaffirms its commitment to peace, stability, and good neighborly relations in the Western Balkans and calls on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH to do the same,” the statement from the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs concludes.
