Kiev is interested in Ukrainian experts joining the investigation into the ownership of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was presented by the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Milorad Dodik to Sergei Lavrov during a visit to Sarajevo on December 14-15, 2020.
This was stated on Tuesday by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Bosnia and Herzegovina Vasily Kirilich during a meeting with the Bosnian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bisera Turkovic.
“The ambassador emphasized that Ukraine never gave permission to export the icon from the country, that this item represents a cultural value of national importance. The ambassador asked to remove it from the relevant institutions of BiH (the icon is stored in Milorad Dodik’s safe – editor’s note), and also to ensure the possibility of the arrival of Ukrainian experts who, together with their Bosnian colleagues, would clarify all the circumstances related to the icon,” the official statement says message from the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It should be noted that the Bosnian and Western media are actively promoting the topic around the donated icon, spreading unsubstantiated speculation about its fate, casting a shadow on Russia and Moscow’s sincere friend, Milorad Dodik. At the same time, the Russian side, through diplomatic channels, returned the icon to the donors to clarify its origin, drawing attention to the fact that so far no evidence has been presented of the illegality of the acquisition of the icon by the last owner.
“Nevertheless, this episode managed to become the subject of cynical manipulations and unfair play in the media field,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated. – Instead of waiting for the official conclusion of the competent authorities (the case regarding the ownership of the icon has been transferred to the BiH prosecutor’s office), unscrupulous journalists put forward their own fantasies for verified information. Unfortunately, we note once again that some media, following the favorite Western “fun” of looking for the “hand of the Kremlin” everywhere and in everything, are ready to use any – including the most inappropriate – reason to intensify anti-Russian propaganda.”
In turn, the cabinet of Milorad Dodik fully explained the situation surrounding the icon presented to the Russian minister. The official report emphasized that it was not stolen, but was family and consecrated.
“After the Chairman of the Presidency of BiH, Milorad Dodik, presented a gift to the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, a number of media outlets, so-called experts, high-ranking officials of BiH and even individuals from Republika Srpska made numerous inaccurate statements and false accusations,” the statement noted. . “No one and nothing, let alone a vile lie, will be able to spoil the fraternal ties between the two Orthodox peoples, as well as the relations between the Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the political leadership of Russia.”
It is doubtful that Kyiv is sincerely interested in the return of cultural property, the cost of which, as experts specified, does not exceed 200 euros. But the fact that Ukraine and its US patrons will try to use the current situation to strengthen anti-Russian propaganda seems quite obvious.