Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, met with two members of the Bosnian Presidency: Bosniak member Denis Bećirović and Croat member Željko Komšić.
In a Facebook post, Komšić thanked Kurti for Kosovo’s unilateral decision to lift the visa regime for Bosnian citizens, calling it an “extraordinary” move by Kosovo.
“Thank you, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, for the decision to remove the visa regime for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We appreciate such an extraordinary unilateral move, which is unusual, and this will certainly contribute to better ties between the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, as well as to the increase in mutual trade exchanges,” Komšić wrote.
Komšić also addressed the opposition to Kurti’s visit from the Republika Srpska (RS) and its president, Milorad Dodik.
“Regarding the alleged criticism of Kurti’s visit and the meetings he held in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which come from RS and the region, I remind you that RS is not a subject of international law and is not competent to issue visas for entry into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Furthermore, the members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina will certainly not ask Dodik or anyone else who we meet with or what we discuss,” Komšić said.
He added that such criticisms are attempts to deny the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We perceive the criticism from the region as further evident attempts to undermine the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and pressure the country’s sovereign bodies and institutions in conducting foreign policy,” Komšić said.
Dodik had previously said that Kurti’s visit to Bosnia would complicate the situation in the country.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina has not recognized Kosovo. We will not allow people from that region to enter with an ID card,” Dodik said, according to Srna’s report.
Also, ministers from the RS did not attend the Council of Ministers meeting in protest of Kurti’s visit.
