Government: Kovač and Damjanović did not represent the Government, we respect the sovereignty of BiH

The Government of Montenegro informed "Vijesti" that the Ministers of Justice and Finance, Marko Kovač and Aleksandar Damjanović, did not represent the Government at yesterday's ceremonial academy on the occasion of the Republika Srpska (RS) Day in Banja Luka, which they attended.

They state that the Government, in response to the planned visits of the President and its members abroad, adopts the "Platform on the visit" nominated by the department of the member of the Government who heads the delegation. By adopting the Platform at the Government session, a member or delegation of the Government is authorized to represent it.

"Regarding your question, we inform you that the Government did not consider the platform for the visit in question, i.e. that it was not nominated for consideration and adoption by the relevant ministers", they told "Vijesta", answering the question whether Kovač and Damjanović attended the formal academy on the occasion of RS Day as representatives of the Government or on their behalf.

Kovač and Damjanović attended the ceremony at the invitation of the President of the RS Milorad Dodik. Damjanović announced today that he was at the ceremony in his own name, and that he respects the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina contested January 9 as the Day of the RS and declared the celebration of that date unconstitutional.

Bisera Turković, Deputy Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of that country, sent a letter of protest to Prime Minister Dritan Abazović, stating that the presence of government officials at the academy celebrating January 9 as the Day of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina violates the neighborly relations between Montenegro and BiH.

The Government pointed out that it unquestionably respects the wholeness, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), supporting its European path and inheriting friendly and good-neighborly relations based on traditionally strong interstate ties, common European aspirations, economic cooperation and further infrastructural connection.

"Montenegro respects all decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and cooperates with the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as with the entity Republika Srpska, at the level and to the extent defined by the constitutions and laws of the two countries," they said.