CVIJANOVIĆ: KONAKOVIĆ’S REMARKS TARGET SERB PEOPLE THAT SUFFERED GENOCIDE

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, JANUARY 29 /SRNA/ – The Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Željka Cvijanović, has strongly condemned what she described as a scandalous and shameful insult by Foreign Affairs Minister Elmedin Konaković against the Acting President of Republika Srpska Ana Trišić Babić and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik, whom he labeled as "followers of fascist policies."

"This is not merely an insult directed at individuals, but at the Serbian people as a whole, over whom followers of Nazism and fascism, including a significant number of Bosnian Muslims, committed genocide from 1941 to 1945," Cvijanović stated. She pointed out that it is inappropriate for Konaković to lecture Israel in any way, given that he and his party colleagues have behind them a dark history of antisemitic incidents. Cvijanović mentioned that Konaković was the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton when an elementary school in Sarajevo was named after Mustafa Busuladžić, a Nazi collaborator, Ustasha associate, and declared antisemite. She added that Konaković publicly stated he had no objection to the school being named after Busuladžić, which prompted Israel to send a protest note to BiH, while the US State Department criticized Konaković in its report on religious freedom. Cvijanović also reminded that Konaković’s party colleague and minister in the Government of the Federation of BiH, Adnan Delić, bore the greatest responsibility for the shameful cancellation of the European Conference of Rabbis in Sarajevo last year. "At that time, Delić called Israel a genocidal entity and publicly called for a ban on the gathering of rabbis, while Konaković not only failed to sanction him but described him as an excellent minister and soon afterward promoted him to the position of political director in the party," Cvijanović posted on the social network X. She stressed that Konaković continuously undermines interethnic relations in BiH, as well as the country’s international reputation. "With a protest note to Israel, Konaković is trying to seek approval from the Sarajevo public and the Carshia, which does not tolerate gatherings of rabbis or commemorations of Hamas victims, yet supports anti-Israeli and antisemitic slogans at numerous rallies in support of Gaza and Palestine," Cvijanović noted. She reminded Konaković that responsibility for creating and conducting BiH’s foreign policy lies exclusively with the Presidency. "I am telling him that he may send a protest note to Israel only in his personal capacity, but not on behalf of BiH. His attempt to curry favor with the anti-Serb and antisemitic segment of the public in the Federation of BiH through Israel and Republika Srpska is his shame and his private stance, not an official or joint position of all in BiH," Cvijanović emphasized.