KONAKOVIĆ VIOLATES PROCEDURES BY LOOKING FOR LOBBYISTS

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 17 /SRNA/ - Serb Member and Chairwoman of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović says that the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Council of Ministers Elmedin Konaković violated all international procedures by asking lobbyists to "defend BiH", which is an approach that divided the diplomatic-consular network.

Cvijanović said that Konaković did not consult anyone, nor did he get a consent or was he tasked to do so by anyone. "That is his vision of BiH defensce, others have a completely different vision. At the same time, they created such a circus there, involving the impossible. Why was abusing the state necessary, these are inadmissible things," Cvijanović emphasized. Cvijanović stated that the diplomatic-consular network is divided because of such minister’s approach, so Serbs point to these deviations and are even forced to write to Konaković and warn him. On the other hand, added Cvijanović, the Bosniak staff, regardless of their political affiliation, have been abusing their position for years and decades, whether it is access to international forums or behaviour beyond the law. "We have a situation in one embassy that must be investigated, it relates to the issuing of passports, charging for it and much more. The minister is aware of everything, but he is not interested in it," Cvijanović told K3 Television. She pointed to the abuse of the position of BiH ambassador to the UN, Zlatko Lagumdžija, who has been trying to prevent the voice of Republika Srpska from being heard for two years. "When I send a letter, he says that it must be forwarded through the Ministry. I send it through the Ministry, they throw it away. Then he says that he is looking for a single position of the Presidency, while forwarding a Denis Bećirović’s letter, which has not been agreed on," Cvijanović pointed out. All UN missions, stated Cvijanović, are aware of it. "I pointed out to them that I do not write through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because diplomatic channels are closed for me, that they are trying to undermine my constitutional position in the Presidency, where I hold the same position as the others. We explained the situation," explained Cvijanović. Cvijanović has stated that she is not losing patience with that, because the ambassador cannot block a Presidency member, no matter how hard he tries.