Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković has been caught in a lie. A contract he personally signed for lobbying in the United States — which he publicly denied — has surfaced. What he first dismissed as a “joke” has now turned into a full-blown scandal, revealing violations of law and procedural abuses, reports RTRS.
Initially, Konaković mocked accusations that his ministry was behind illegal lobbying efforts, claiming he had been “joking” during a meeting of the Council of Ministers.
“Chief Prosecutor Kajganić opened an investigation against me personally because I joked during a Council of Ministers session that lobbying in America was done through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — that I personally signed the contract. That’s impossible, as I don’t have that authority. It would be illegal if I had,” said Konaković.
However, RTRS broadcast the actual document, showing Konaković’s signature, verification, and protocol number. He later accused Serb ministers Staša Košarac and Srđan Amidžić of informing the chief prosecutor about his comments, claiming they took his words out of context.
Serb Presidency member Željka Cvijanović responded sharply, saying Konaković illegally concluded a lobbying agreement on behalf of BiH without approval from Serb and Croat ministers.
“This is in line with the three-decade-long privatization and usurpation of BiH’s joint institutions by Bosniak political structures. What’s worse, they misled the U.S. administration — even boasting in the media about involving the children of important American officials,” said Cvijanović.
According to RTRS, Konaković bypassed all required legal procedures: he failed to obtain approval from the Council of Ministers, did not seek a budget allocation from the Ministry of Finance, nor did he consult the Presidency of BiH.
Caught in deception, Konaković has once again embarrassed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s foreign policy apparatus, further deepening the crisis of credibility within its diplomatic institutions.
Source: Glas Srpske
