As the Russia-Ukraine war rages on, Bosnia-Herzegovina, which has expressed its desire to join NATO, has received threats from Russia.
"It has the right to react"
Russian Ambassador to Sarajevo, Igor Kalabukhov, said Moscow has the right to react according to its own interests to Bosnia's plan to join NATO (photo, above, from his interview).
"Bosnia has the right to decide whether to join NATO, but Moscow has the right to react to this decision based on its own interests," he said, speaking to Bosnian TV channel Federalna, as reported by echedoros-a.gr.
"We have shown what our expectations are"
And he explained that Russia will act accordingly: "We have shown what our expectations are in the example of Ukraine."
Igor Kalabukhov stressed that Russia is preparing for a new plan devised by the West in Europe, noting that this is the "greatest danger".
Strong reactions
Bosnian, member of the Presidential Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sefik Jaferovic, interpreting the example of Ukraine set by Kalabukhov, denounced the Russian ambassador's intervention as an "attack on the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina".
Jaferovic said that "Bosnia and Herzegovina is a sovereign country, it will make its own decisions about its future within the framework of the constitution and laws and will act on the basis of the orders and interests of its citizens. We do not proceed according to the interests of others, and Russia does not have the right to determine the future of Bosnia."
He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina's application process for both its European path and NATO membership is decided by its own institutions. This is how we will remain. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not run by the Russian embassy."
Also, Croatian member of the Presidential Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zeljko Komšić, described the Russian ambassador's statements as "unacceptable".
"The message of the Russian ambassador, in which he mentions the example of Ukraine against which Russia is attacking, is clear, but also unacceptable for Bosnia and Herzegovina," Komšić said.
The US
The US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina reacted immediately and strongly to the Russian ambassador's statements:
"The latest threats by the Russian ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina are dangerous, irresponsible and unacceptable. No third party has a say in security agreements between NATO and sovereign countries."
He added: "We will continue to stand firmly by Bosnia and Herzegovina as it takes the necessary steps to secure its place in the Euro-Atlantic community of nations."
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