Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Hungary respected the re-election of Milorad Dodik, the Serbian member of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s presidential troika. At the same time, he rejected the US State Department’s latest report on Bosnia-Herzegovina, saying it was “outrageous that they should make statements about other countries’ internal affairs and situation”.
Minister Szijjártó said that though Konaković was not in need of his support, he still wanted to voice his objection to the report. “I must say I’m shocked and each year I’m amazed that the US State Department has the audacity to label other countries and make such ex-cathedra statements about the internal affairs and situation of other countries,” Minister Szijjártó said. “Who are they to do this? I have no knowledge of the foreign ministry of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and especially mine, writing reports about human rights or other situations of other countries. Why? Because for one thing, it’s not our job to do so, and also it’s none of our business,” he said. Minister Szijjártó said the decision on who should govern Bosnia-Herzegovina and the question of whether the public is satisfied with the state of their country should be left up to the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He said Washington should also leave it up to Hungarians to decide what happens in Hungary. “We object to anyone questioning Hungarian democracy and the will expressed by the Hungarian people in democratic elections,” he said. Meanwhile, he said cooperation between Hungary and Dodik was fair and based on mutual respect, adding that Bosnia-Herzegovina’s territorial integrity was beyond dispute. Minister Szijjártó said there was “no mutual respect in international politics today”. Certain countries are very willing to interfere in the affairs of other countries, he said, adding that Hungary never questions the outcome of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s elections.