Embassy in Sarajevo awaits official stance from the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željko Komšić has summoned the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ivan Sabolić, for an urgent meeting, following a statement by the President of the Republic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, that Bosnia and Herzegovina is under the control of militant Islam.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the Croatian President stated during a visit to Israel that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very unstable country and that it has, in a certain sense, been taken over by people linked to Iran and terrorist organizations.

This has sparked strong reactions from Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as from Croatia itself.

Former Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor issued an apology to Bosnia and Herzegovina following the statement by Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović that Bosnia and Herzegovina is under the control of militant Islam.

An official stance from the institutions of the Republic of Croatia on this matter is still awaited.

The Patria news agency was told by the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Sarajevo that the Embassy will issue a statement after receiving clear instructions from Zagreb.

President Grabar-Kitarović has denied the report by the Jerusalem Post.

"I did not give interviews nor did I make statements to journalists, apart from two press conferences," said Grabar-Kitarović.

"We should talk about cooperation, how we can help each other solve problems... Croatia is here and remains ready to help every neighboring country, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the reform process, so that they can become an EU member as soon as possible," added Grabar-Kitarović, accusing Bosnia and Herzegovina of recently taking aggressive steps towards Croatia.