'Čović's visit to Russia was private, excluding those who traveled on official duty'

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The cabinet of the BiH Presidency member from the Croat people, Dragan Čović, denied that the BiH Presidency member was on an official visit to the Russian Federation.

Media previously published an order from the BiH Presidency in which the Presidency ordered plane tickets to the Russian Federation for the needs of Čović and clerk Željko Lonac. Čović's cabinet claims the order is a forgery, and that Čović traveled to the Russian Federation at his own private expense.

"The Croat member of the BiH Presidency, Dragan Čović, had a private trip, and personally bore the costs of travel and stay in the Russian Federation," the cabinet stated.

"The BiH Presidency did not participate in the costs of this trip in any way," it added.

"Given that the nature of the visit was private, the number of people who traveled with the Croat member of the BiH Presidency, excluding those who traveled on official duty, is a matter of a personal nature. The Russian Federation provided protocol and logistical support, as well as police escort, for all state officials who arrived for the World Cup, regardless of the nature of their visit," the reaction concluded, reports NAP.