The Interior Ministry of BiH’s Federation entity (FMUP) has cancelled the 21st session of the Executive Board of the International Association of Police Academies (INTERPA), which was supposed to be held in Sarajevo, N1 has learned Friday. The decision was made by the Minister, who stated in the letter that "Sarajevo cannot be a host to an event whose participants are states directly supporting the Russian Federation regarding their illegal aggression against Ukraine."

“We are extremely honoured to be part of an association that brings together a large number of important countries and which has previously been extremely useful to the FBiH Ministry of Interior when it comes to training our officials. Without diminishing the importance of other countries, we would like to express our gratitude to the Republic of Turkey, which through the Turkish Agency for Cooperation and Coordination (TIKA) has invested significant funds and resources in renovating the FBiH Ministry of Interior and educating our employees. Despite our goodwill and preparations, and with special respect to the member states of the Association, we would like to inform you that the FBiH Ministry of the Interior will not host the session of the INTERPA Executive Board in May this year,” Minister Aljosa Campara said in a letter to the Association.

He pointed out that he made the decision “taking into account geopolitical events in the context of the illegal and unjustified aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in accordance with his constitutional and legal powers.”

“Our country – Bosnia and Herzegovina – was exposed to the crime of aggression and genocide from 1992 to 1995, which is why the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have a special kind of compassion for the citizens of Ukraine. The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot host the International Association of Police Academies INTERPA, whose members are states that are directly on the side of the Russian Federation regarding their illegal act of aggression against Ukraine. With the utmost respect, we kindly ask that you note that the Republic of Belarus, which refused to vote in favour of a UN resolution calling on Russia to stop using force in Ukraine immediately, is one of the members of the INTERPA Executive Board. The Republic of Kazakhstan and India, which are also members of the INTERPA Executive Board, abstained from voting at the United Nations General Assembly. With regret and honest sympathy with the citizens of Ukraine – victims of the aggression of the Russian Federation – I emphasize once again that the FBiH Ministry of Internal Affairs will not host the 21st session of the INTERPA Executive Board,” the decision reads.