The foreign minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina has claimed that a “malignant Russian influence” was behind an apparent attempt to stop Poles, Romanians and Slovenians from voting in European Parliament elections at diplomatic missions in the country.
The participation of citizens from Poland, Romania and Slovenia in the elections that will take place next weekend had been thrown into doubt after three ministers objected to the organization of the elections for voters from the aforementioned countries.
The three ministers are associated with pro-Russian political figures and parties linked to Republika Srpska, one of the country’s two autonomous entities, which maintains strong ties with Serbia and Russia and has frequently threatened to split away from Bosnia.
Although the Bosnian Foreign Ministry later issued a statement saying that Polish, Slovenian and Romanian citizens would be allowed to vote, Elmedin Konaković, the country’s foreign minister, had already written on the X platform: “Russian satellites are once again showing their true colors, the EU must see this clearly.”
According to Konaković, the actions of the three ministers are an “attack on the right of citizens to vote in democratic elections” and reflect a “destructive desire to harm bilateral relations with important friends and allies.”
“We believe that this kind of irresponsible policy was carried out under the malignant Russian influence, which is gaining momentum in our country,” he added.
But the Bosnian Foreign Ministry added to a certain amount of confusion surrounding the vote by suggesting that the three ministers’ decision was a response to Poland, Romania, and Slovenia supporting a UN resolution in May condemning the 1995 Srebrenica genocide and establishing July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance for its victims.
The three ministers are associated with pro-Russian political figures and parties linked to Republika Srpska, one of the country’s two autonomous entities, which maintains strong ties with Serbia and Russia and has frequently threatened to split away from Bosnia.
Although the Bosnian Foreign Ministry later issued a statement saying that Polish, Slovenian and Romanian citizens would be allowed to vote, Elmedin Konaković, the country’s foreign minister, had already written on the X platform: “Russian satellites are once again showing their true colors, the EU must see this clearly.”
According to Konaković, the actions of the three ministers are an “attack on the right of citizens to vote in democratic elections” and reflect a “destructive desire to harm bilateral relations with important friends and allies.”
“We believe that this kind of irresponsible policy was carried out under the malignant Russian influence, which is gaining momentum in our country,” he added.
But the Bosnian Foreign Ministry added to a certain amount of confusion surrounding the vote by suggesting that the three ministers’ decision was a response to Poland, Romania, and Slovenia supporting a UN resolution in May condemning the 1995 Srebrenica genocide and establishing July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance for its victims.
Source: PAP, klix.ba
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