Bosnia blocks landing of Hungarian foreign minister's plane over 'support' for Serb separatist

Bosnia’s Defence Minister Zukan Helez on Wednesday refused permission for a military aircraft carrying Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to land in the Bosnian Serb Republic, saying Budapest had supported a Bosnian Serb separatist leader in acts that undermined Bosnia’s sovereignty.

Helez said Hungary had not provided a justification for why Szijjarto was aboard the aircraft seeking to land in Banja Luka, the administrative centre of the autonomous Serb Republic.

Szijjarto had been visiting neighbouring Serbia to discuss Hungary’s assistance to Belgrade following a halt in crude oil shipments from Croatia.

Helez said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Szijjarto had openly supported Bosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik in moves that “undermine sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).”

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“As the Minister of Defence of BiH, my duty is to protect the constitutional order, laws and interest of BiH,” Reuters quoted Helez as saying in a post on Facebook.

“That is why I have decided not to approve this flight until full transparency and respect of our state are ensured,” he added.

Dodik, the former president of the Serb Republic who was stripped of duty after being convicted for defying the decisions of the international peace envoy and constitutional court, has boasted about Orban’s support for his policies.

Dodik and his ally Sinisa Karan, who won the region’s snap presidential vote at the weekend according to preliminary results, met with Orban in Budapest on Wednesday.

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With inputs from agencies