The leader of the Republika Srpska as part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, declared the Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Kyrylych an undesirable person.
As it turned out, with his statement, the "friend of Putin", who recently awarded the Russian president with the highest state award, went beyond his authority.
According to Slobodna Dalmacija, Dodik called the Ukrainian diplomat persona non grata after he criticized Putin's awarding of the "Order of the Republika Srpska on a necklace", calling it an award from one terrorist to another.
"It is an honor for the Republika Srpska that Putin has expressed his willingness to receive such an award," Dodik disagreed and added that Vasyl Kyrylic is no longer an unwanted person in the Republika Srpska - a state entity on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko explained, the Serbian "friend of Putin" does not have the authority to make a decision to declare anyone persona non grata, therefore it is null and void.
He also reminded that Ukraine does not have an ambassador in the Republika Srpska - Vasyl Kyrylych is an accredited ambassador in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a residence in Zagreb.
"According to the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, powers in the field of foreign policy are the exclusive competence of the Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Milorad Dodik does not have the authority to make such decisions, and his statement should be considered only as a short-lived attempt to justify his populist decisions in favor of the Kremlin," Oleg said. Nikolenko.
We will remind you that Milorad Dodik, who wants the Republika Srpska to leave Bosnia and Herzegovina, won the presidential elections of this state in October last year.
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