Lavrov says relations with Croatia are good in spite of Brussels

Speaking in Sarajevo on Tuesday the Russian Foreign Minister voiced Moscow’s strong backing of Croatia’s push to see changes to the election law in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Zagreb last night for an official visit to Croatia. He was received on Wednesday by his host Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman, who said that he is convinced that Minister Lavrov's visit will serve as an impetus to further move Croatian-Russian relations in a positive direction.

The focus of their talks was on bilateral relations, specifically economic cooperation. Numerous Russian companies, such as Gazprom and Sberbank. Russia is also interested in opening a cultural and science center in Zagreb. And for next year, plans are being made to hold a meeting of the Croatian-Russian inter-governmental commission. Minister Grlić Radman: “The minister and I discussed areas in which it is possible to deepen the cooperation between the European Union and the Russian Federation. I also emphasized that we have to keep our channels of communication open, and to be able to look to the future in spite of the current challenges in international relations.”

For his part Minister Lavrov said that in spite of obstacles in relations with Brussels, Moscow and Zagreb enjoyed good bilateral ties: “We have concluded that unfortunately the EU is prepared for normal relations with Russia, but we have good, friendly and constructive relations with Croatia.”

The two ministers also discussed the situation in neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina with Lavrov expressing his strong support for Croatia's push to see changes to the election law in that country. Asked if in return for Russia's support for changes to the election law, Moscow had demanded the Bosnia and Herzegovina abandon its ambitions to join the NATO alliance.

“The election law needs to be reformed, and we absolutely agree with Croatia that each constituent peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina must be allowed to elect their own political representatives. We are not in the habit of opposing other countries ambitions to join various alliances such as NATO. Bosnia and Herzegovina is an independent country, in spite of the fact that there exists an office of the High Representative, which we find to be a relic of the past. Bosnia and Herzegovina must decide on the direction of her foreign policy in line with her constitution, and everyone has to respect these decisions in line with the Dayton Agreement. But that also means that they have to understand that this means respecting the rights of all three constituent peoples, which includes the position of the Republic of Srpska on military neutrality,” Minister Lavrov said.

Minister Lavrov was also received by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and President Zoran Milanović, with whom he discussed the situation in the region, and bilateral relations, with a focus on strengthening economic ties between the two countries, specifically in the tourism sector when the situation with the coronavirus allows for normal cross-border travel again. On the occasion of his visit, Minister Lavrov's also opened the new Russian Embassy in Croatia.

Source: HRT