Russian Foreign Minister Postpones Visit to Bosnia

Sergey Lavrov will come to Sarajevo on September 21, not on Sunday as planned, Bosnia's Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak told FENA news agency on Thursday evening.

Crnadak explained that the Russian Foreign Minister told him that he postponed the visit due to unexpected changes in his schedule.

Lavrov's postponed visit was announced first by Milorad Dodik, president of Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity Republika Srpska.

"The reason is that he [Lavrov] is busy with state affairs. We [Bosnian Serbs] respect the fact that Lavrov wants to come to Banja Luka, it's geo-strategically important, and we understand the postponement," Dodik told media on Thursday evening.

According to unconfirmed information, Lavrov will attend the laying of a cornerstone for the construction of the Russian church and cultural centre in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska's main town.

Dodik has previously said that the idea for the church and centre initially came from Lavrov.

Washington-based magazine Foreign Policy reported in August that with elections approaching in October, "Russia has ramped up its support for Bosnia's Serb separatists".

Lavrov's visit has however sparked a row among Bosnian Serb politician about who invited him.

Read more:

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