Vulin’s arrival causes a “storm” in BiH: Accusations from Sarajevo and a note of protest from Belgrade

Vulin’s arrival causes a “storm” in BiH: Accusations from Sarajevo and a note of protest from Belgrade

Aleksandar Vulin, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and former director of the US-sanctioned Security and Information Agency, arrived on Tuesday in Prebilovce near Capljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the 83rd anniversary of the crimes against the Serb population in World War II is being celebrated after BH authorities refused to allow him to fly by helicopter to Capljina on Monday.

Vulin claimed that the BiH authorities tried to prevent him from entering the country. According to RTRS, he said that “this little mischief” lasted for one night and that politically Sarajevo did not allow him to fly into BiH.

“They were big, important and powerful, and today I am still with my people. Let them rejoice in their wickedness and enjoy a little bit being important, but today I am with my people”, Vulin said, adding that he is honoured to be in Prebilovci, a holy place for the Serbian people and a place of Serbian suffering.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic confirmed to N1 BiH television that the request arrived late on Friday afternoon, after working hours.

“This is contrary to our procedures. It should have arrived 48 hours earlier and weekends don’t count. But if it was a well-meaning person, we would have shown hospitality and hospitality again. Since it was Vulin, I didn’t even want to sign for his arrival, nor violate the procedures, which are very clear in our country,” Konakovic told N1.

In a Facebook post, Konaković wrote:

“Vulin denies genocide, insults the victims and their families, undermines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, predicts new wars and the creation of a ‘Serbian world’, spreads and lives the Greater Serbian idea, which means the redrawing of borders, scholarships female students who glorify war criminals, is on the US blacklist and the main promoter of Russia’s malign influence in these areas, and many other bad things”.

“Until he shows respect for our country, I will not sign his consent to enter whenever I have the power to do so,” he wrote. “And not only him, others can expect the same treatment”.

A note of protest

The Foreign Ministry of Serbia sent a note of protest to the Foreign Ministry of Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressing its dissatisfaction with the fact that Vice President Vulin was prevented from attending the opening of the exhibition in Prebilovci and pointing out that the decision of the BiH authorities clearly constitutes a violation of good neighbourly diplomatic practice.

The Ministry reported that Vulin had gone to Čapljina at the invitation of the organisers of the Prebilovci 1941 exhibition, but that the BiH authorities had not issued the necessary permission for the plane carrying the Republika Srpska delegation to land in Mostar, although they had been informed of his arrival in good time.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia is disappointed by the decision of the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina not to allow the participation of our delegation in the commemorative rally, as such a decision is not in the spirit of good neighbourly relations and civilisational achievements,” reads the statement, the The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

“We call on the authorities in Sarajevo to stop using the relations in the region and inter-ethnic relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina itself as a platform for harmful daily political activities, thus moving their own country away from the path of progress and European integration,” the MSP stated, pointing out that “today’s decision by the BiH authorities undoubtedly constitutes a violation of good-neighbourly diplomatic practice and contributes to the creation of a climate of intolerance towards the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian nation as a whole”.

Aleksandar Vulin has been under US sanctions since 2023.

At the time, a statement from the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said he was involved in transnational organised crime, illegal drug operations and abuse of public office.