ĐURAGIĆ: BEĆIROVIĆ MISLEADS LOCAL PUBLIC AND CREATES ILLUSION OF SUCCESS CONFIRMED BY NO ONE

BANJA LUKA, MAY 6 /SRNA/ – A statement by Denis Bećirović that "the conditions have been met for BiH to be invited to join NATO" represents yet another example of irresponsible politicking and an attempt to reduce serious issues of foreign and security policy to daily political promotion and personal marketing, Mario Đuragić, advisor to the Serb BiH Presidency member, told SRNA.

He emphasized that such statements do not reflect statesmanlike seriousness, but rather an attempt to mislead the local public by creating an illusion of success that no one relevant has confirmed. "In any serious international organisation, including the NATO alliance, it would be its official bodies and representatives who assess whether a country has met certain conditions and criteria. In this case, Mr. Bećirović has decided to declare himself successful and to evaluate processes for which he is not competent," Đuragić pointed out. The NATO alliance, Đuragić stressed, is not an instrument for political campaigns, nor are serious international talks meant to serve for collecting daily political points. "The position of NATO representatives during the talks in Brussels was professional, realistic, and focused on practical cooperation, stability, and the functionality of institutions. No one spoke about membership in the way Bećirović is trying to present it today," Đuragić said. He added that it is encouraging that an increasing number of international partners, including a representative of the United States, clearly indicate that all political processes in BiH must be returned to local institutions, with mutual dialogue among legitimately elected political representatives. “Unfortunately, with his approach, Bećirović seriously undermines BiH’s credibility before international partners. In doing so, he not only disrupts internal dialogue in BiH but also unnecessarily compromises the very process of cooperation with the NATO alliance,” Đuragić stressed. Republika Srpska will, he said, continue to cooperate with the NATO alliance in all areas of a shared interest. "We believe that practical cooperation and partnership relations are what must be the focus of all stakehilders, not an unserious race for headlines and political points," Đuragić concluded. Bećirović stated today in Brussels, after a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană, that all conditions have been met for BiH to receive an invitation for NATO membership.