Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding reciprocal measures against the Serbian Consul at the Embassy of Serbia

In response to the statement by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia dated 21 November 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia would like to dismiss as untrue the claims by Minister Grlic Radman and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia that this is a case of reciprocal measures against the Serbian Consul at the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Zagreb, since his activity in the Republic of Croatia did not for a single moment violate the provisions of the Vienna Convention, and also because he was not posted in Zagreb to perform political, but consular duties instead.

Furthermore, we would hereby like to point out that the Serbian Consul took office in mid-September 2023, and we demand that the Croatian side present evidence to us and inform the public how he could have breached the provisions of the Vienna Convention within two months of assuming his duties.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia rejects the reasons cited by the Croatian side as this cannot not be a matter of reciprocity, but a matter of whether someone had violated the Vienna Convention or not.

In the case of Serbian Consul Petar Novakovic, there is no evidence, while the case of Croatian diplomat Hrvoje Snajder pertains to proven actions that represent a gross violation of the Vienna Convention, of which the Croatian side has been informed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia avails itself of this opportunity to urge the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia to make additional efforts to improve the deteriorated relations between the two countries, rather than to further undermine good-neighbourly relations and regional peace and stability through its moves.