Bosnia's Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic criticised Serb Presidency member Milorad Dodik who voted against granting an agrément to new German ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Thomas Fitschen, calling it an “absolutely irresponsible, politically immature move.”

Turkovic also said that Dodik's move only confirms “what everyone in the world already knows – that Milorad Dodik's policy is detrimental to all in Bosnia and Herzegovina, mostly for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who live in Republika Srpska entity.”

The statement comes a day after Dodik objected the granting of agrément for the new German ambassador at a Presidency session.

Dodik votes against new German Ambassador's Agrément

Turkovic slammed the move, accusing Dodik of being responsible for blocking millions-worth projects of the European Union and Germany in Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb-majority administrative unit where Dodik's SNSD is a ruling party and he was elected for the Presidency.

“Germany is one of the leading most important trade partners of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also of numerous companies from Republika Srpska, which depend on the export to the Republic of Germany,” the foreign minister stressed.

She recalled that, according to official statistics, Germany is the most important trade partner of companies from Republika Srpska, right after Serbia and Italy.

“Trade with Germany is tenfold larger than trade with Russia! Rejecting consent for the agrément of the German ambassador is the act of a politician who causes damage to his own people and who has irreversibly tied himself to anti-European policy and for which he certainly does not have the support of the citizens,” she pointed out.

Turkovic also noted that the Republic of Germany is one of the greatest friends of both Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region, as well as the most important economic and development partner during the decades of reconstruction of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Attempts to artificially disrupt relations, and this is exactly what we are talking about, will bring damage, and it is already bringing damage, only to Dodik's policy and, unfortunately, to the citizens of the smaller Bosnia and Herzegovina entity. The vast majority of citizens remain committed partners and friends of the Republic of Germany,” the foreign minister said.