KARAN: BAN ON SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER'S OVERFLIGHT - PRIVATIZATION OF BiH INSTITUTIONS

BANJA LUKA, SEPTEMBER 15 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska President Siniša Karan said that the decision by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the BiH Council of Ministers to ban Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut from flying through BiH airspace was an act of privatizing BiH institutions, primarily its foreign policy, but that such moves could only strengthen the Serb people's resolve to use the capacities available at the BiH level.

Karan also said that by taking this action, the Ministry had violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

"They have undermined good diplomatic relations with Serbia, and this is a very inappropriate political move, but it is also much more than that. In this way, they want to demonstrate their negative, intolerant, and even hostile attitude towards Serbia," Karan told reporters in Banja Luka.

He said that such moves by political Sarajevo could only strengthen the Serb people’s resolve to use all their capacities at the BiH level, where no relevant decision can be made without the Serb vote.

"This also reminds us that we must make even greater use of our special ties, as well as our right to ensure that no such decision can be made without a constituent people, in this case without the Serb people," Karan said.

Karan also sees a negative aspect of this move in the fact that it comes as Republika Srpska and Serbia are marking their joint holiday - Serb Unity, Freedom and National Flag Day.

"This act is intended to separate the national identity of Republika Srpska from Serbia and prevent us from celebrating our shared holidays," Karan said.

Karan pointed out that Serbia, on the other hand, is demonstrating diplomatic restraint by continuing to call for respect for the Dayton Peace Agreement.

Foreign Minister in the BiH Council of Ministers Elmedin Konaković yesterday rejected a request for overflight clearance for the plane carrying Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut to Banja Luka, saying that the request had not been submitted on time.