Željko Komšić: 'Legitimate representative' works for Russia

(Patria) - Yesterday's visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation should be discussed in terms of facts. Lavrov was in BiH yesterday, albeit in its smaller entity, with an award given to war criminals, and was not asked by the Presidency of BiH about his earlier stance on respecting BiH's decision to move towards NATO, said today the President of DF and candidate for member of the Presidency, Željko Komšić.

"Mr. Lavrov said he respects the Dayton Peace Agreement. It is not entirely clear why Lavrov claims that Milorad Dodik, a man who openly calls for the breakup of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is committed to preserving the Dayton Peace Agreement. It is obvious that Lavrov and Russia are for an independent BiH only as much as Milorad Dodik, with his calls for the secession of the smaller BiH entity, is for respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement. But, that's how it happens when the elected representatives fail to remind Lavrov of his words. Then we come to the point where Dodik's words about respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement become the words of Sergey Lavrov," said Komšić.

However, Komšić adds, there is a need, since the Presidency does not do it in official meetings with representatives of the Russian Federation, to once again recall the stance of the Russian Federation itself regarding BiH's membership in NATO, stated at a time when "legitimate representatives" of Croats were not sitting in the Presidency of BiH, unlike today when they are sitting and intend to stay there", says Komšić.

"The then message of Minister Lavrov to the BiH Presidency was that Russia is in principle against the expansion of the NATO alliance, but if NATO is our choice, Russia will respect such a decision of BiH institutions. That decision of the BiH Presidency was unanimous and has never been revoked, withdrawn, or changed. Let the "legitimate" representative of Croats, who has not moved the NATO path from where I, as "illegitimate", left it, now explain to the citizens of BiH, especially Croats, why he did not remind Lavrov of Bosnia and Herzegovina's stance yesterday? Why did he keep silent about it? I will be free to say, because such things should not be kept silent, that the self-proclaimed "legitimate representative" is against our NATO path and that he is working for Russia together with Dodik.

I have nothing to ask the Bosniak member of the Presidency, he is in the minority, just as the commitment to BiH's NATO path is in the minority in the Presidency", said Komšić. It depends on the citizens of BiH whether that relationship will change.

Komšić added that the "legitimate representative" and false advocate of the NATO path can still be satisfied, because Lavrov told him yesterday: "Give us all your wishes, Russia is here." And the wishes of the "legitimate" have long been known: changing the Election Law and his enthronement as "eternal legitimate". Neither then, nor now, nor in the future, will that pass for them! With or without the Russians", Komšić concluded.