Bosnia and Herzegovina's Foreign Minister, Elmedin Konaković, announced on Monday that almost all diplomatic personnel of the Bosnian Embassy in Serbia will be withdrawn, in response to the actions of Serbian officials following the death and burial of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić.
Konakovic said that only the ambassador and consul can remain in Belgrade, as the Bosnian Presidency decides on their appointment and dismissal, while the rest of the staff will withdraw.
According to him, consular services are expected to be transferred to the embassies of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zagreb and Podgorica.
He justified the decision with developments in Serbia following Mladic's death, including the funeral, the memorial ceremony and the messages that have appeared in public.
"If I could, I would sever diplomatic relations with Serbia today. What I can do is work to reduce relations to the minimum possible," Konakovic said.
He said he was “not surprised” by the presence of Republika Srpska officials at Mladic’s funeral in Belgrade and warned that he would seek sanctions “at all addresses” against individuals who attended the ceremony, including Bosnian Presidency member Zeljka Cvijanovic.
The head of Bosnian diplomacy said that the "final alarm" was the message "Towards Potocari", displayed at the Red Star Belgrade match, assessing that such events constitute a continuation of the glorification of war crimes and their perpetrators.
During the derby between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan on September 6, fans in the northern stand of the "Rajko Mitic" stadium displayed a large portrait of Mladić with the inscription: "Towards Potocari".
His portrait remained on display in the north stand throughout the match.
Konakovic also warned of a diplomatic offensive against the European Union and other international partners. He said that a series of diplomatic notes and letters will be sent, demanding a clear response to Serbia's stance on war crimes proven by court decisions.
Sipas tij, Bosnja nuk do t’u përgjigjet më në mënyrë pasive përpjekjeve për rishikimin e fakteve për krimet e luftës dhe do t’i përdorë më intensivisht kanalet diplomatike për të paraqitur, siç tha ai, të vërtetën për ngjarjet e luftës së fundit./Euronews.al