KONAKOVIĆ'S PRE-ELECTION POLITICAL PERFORMANCE

SARAJEVO, SEPTEMBER 8 /SRNA/ - The Head of the SNSD Caucus in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH Sanja Vulić said that the decision by Elmedin Konaković, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Council of Ministers, to expel two Serbian diplomats was more reminiscent of a pre-election political performance than of serious conduct of BiH's foreign policy.

"What is particularly concerning is the fact that the entire event was broadcast live on the People and Justice Party’s page, creating the impression that the institution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was used as a political stage for party promotion," Vulić told SRNA. She pointed out that Konaković should answer the question of whether the procedure was actually completed in full or whether the institution was merely used to stage a political event. She explained that the Rulebook on Declaring Persons Persona Non Grata and Unacceptable, adopted by the Presidency of BiH in 2004, clearly sets out the procedure to be followed. "Under that decision, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is authorized to make decisions concerning certain categories of diplomatic and non-diplomatic personnel, but that authority is not, and must not be, a blanket political license to act without verification and official information," Vulić said. She stressed that diplomacy is not a party political rally, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not the campaign headquarters of any political party. "BiH institutions must rise above party interests, especially when decisions are being made that could have serious consequences for relations with other countries. That is why I expect the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to present the public with the facts, the procedure followed and the legal basis, rather than political messages," Vulić said. She said that it is easy to establish whether everything was done in accordance with the rules, and that, if it was not, the question must be asked who and why abused the institution for the election campaign. "Konaković does not know the basics, because if he did, the Collegium of the Minister of Foreign Affairs would have discussed that decision," Vulić said.