Vranjes: Konakovic abused symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Pristina – another slap from political Sarajevo to Serbia

The Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Serbia, Aleksandar Vranjes, told Kosovo Online that Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic abused the national symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina during his meeting with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani in Pristina, calling it "another slap" from political Sarajevo to Belgrade, because, on one hand, he demands respect for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territorial integrity while, on the other, tramples on Serbia’s sovereignty.

“As Foreign Minister, Konakovic did not have approval to meet with representatives of the fake state of Kosovo. I would like to point out that Bosnia and Herzegovina has not recognized that fake state, nor will it ever do so as long as the Republic of Srpska is part of the country,” Vranjes stated.

President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani met with Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic in her office, and the meeting was presented as an official encounter between the foreign minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the president of Kosovo.

Vranjes explained that, in order for the meeting to follow proper procedure, Konakovic should have first sought approval from the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency.

“Of course, he would never have received that approval from Zeljka Cvijanovic, who currently serves as Chair of the Presidency. Therefore, what he did can only be characterized as a private meeting, not an official one on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and he misused the national symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina for that purpose,” Vranjes emphasized.

He specified that the Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Minister, in doing so, is clearly signaling that he “does not respect the territorial integrity of Serbia.”

“This is yet another political message from political Sarajevo to Belgrade regarding their stance on the fake state of Kosovo. Let’s recall that they received Kurti with full state honors, held meetings with him as though he were the head of a recognized state, even though he does not represent any state when he sets foot on Bosnia and Herzegovina soil,” Vranjes said.

He emphasized that this is like persistently “poking Serbia in the eye.”

“Serbia is constantly being asked to repeatedly affirm its respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while on the other hand, political Sarajevo clearly shows through actions like this that it does not respect the territorial integrity of Serbia. This is how they show what they really think of Serbia, and then they get angry when they don’t receive the kind of response from Serbia that they expect. This is yet another slap in the face to Serbia,” Vranjes asserted.

Therefore, he concluded, Konakovic went to Pristina “as a private individual” who is “fighting his own personal battles with Serbia.”