Bosnia and Herzegovina as an aspirant for candidate status for EU membership remains committed to the European Union's position that Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence must be respected, BiH Presidency Chairman Zeljko Komsic said Thursday.
Komsic issued a press release on a diplomatic protest note sent to Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine regarding statements by BiH Presidency Member Milorad Dodik voiced to Russian media on the annexed Crimea, according to Dnevni Avaz.
The Chair emphasizes that the position of BiH Presidency Member Milorad Dodik and his support for the illegal annexation of Crimea is not the position of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina but Dodik's personal one.
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Zeljko Komsic said Bosnia and Herzegovina remains committed to the European Union's position that Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence must be respected, and that the EU does not recognize the illegal referendum in Crimea and its outcome, recalling the EU's position that the European Union does not recognize and will not recognize the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation.
He also recalled that in March 2014, the EU had introduced restrictive measures against Russia.
These measures were adopted in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the deliberate destabilization of Ukraine. Economic sanctions are currently being extended until January 31, 2020, said Komsic, according to the statement.
