Speaking at an energy panel in Trebinje, southeastern Bosnia-Herzegovina, Szijjártó also said Hungary “does not intend to stop purchasing gas from Russia” and was in contact with Russia’s Gazprom, who he said was respecting its contractual obligations.

“When the first sanctions package was introduced, those who introduced them said Russia will be economically ruined by the sanctions and will not be able to continue waging war, which will lead us to peace,” Szijjártó said, as reported by Vijesti.ba.

“Now we have reached the tenth package and Russia is not on its knees,” he added.

“The sanctions are creating problems for European countries. High inflation is the consequence of the sanctions, and this is a bigger problem for us in Europe than for Russians. If we look at the facts, the sanctions make no sense and are even harmful,” he also said.

Speaking about his host, Milorad Dodik, the president of Republika Srpska, one of the two highly autonomous Bosnian entities, Szijjártó said Dodik had won the elections and this must be respected.

“Those who want sanctions imposed against Dodik essentially do not want to respect the will of the Republika Srpska citizens,” he said.

Dodik, who has repeatedly threatened to oversee RS’s secession and called for a “peaceful break-up” of BiH, is already under Washington’s sanctions for undermining peace and democracy in BiH.

Szijjártó made it clear the EU would not be able to do the same, though the bloc has so far made no attempt to punish the Bosnian Serb leader.

“As long as we are in power in Hungary, President Dodik will not be on any sanctions list,” he said.

Source: euractiv

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In the evening of March 18, a group of several dozen unidentified people, some of whom wore masks and other facial coverings, attacked a group of four journalists in the northwestern city of Banja Luka while they were leaving a meeting of a local group of LGBTQ activists, according to news reports, three of those journalists, who spoke to CPJ, and a report by SafeJournalists, a regional website tracking violence against the press.

The attackers used bottles and sticks to beat Vanja Stokić, editor-in-chief of the privately owned news website Etrafika.net; Etrafika reporter Melani Isović; Ajdin Kamber, a photographer on assignment for German broadcaster Deutsche Welle; and freelance journalist Vanja Šunjić, according to those sources. None of the journalists were seriously injured.

“Authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the recent attack on four journalists in Banja Luka and ensure the perpetrators are held to account,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative. “Authorities must do their utmost to ensure that reporters can cover events of public interest safely, and without fear that they will be harassed and attacked.”

Stokić, Kamber, and Isović told CPJ via email and messaging app that they were leaving the activists’ meeting when the group of attackers threw bottles at them, pushed them to the ground, and beat them with sticks and bottles. They ran through the city’s streets and escaped danger, the journalists said. Police were at the scene but did not intervene, they said.

The four journalists suffered minor injuries including scrapes and bruises and were treated in a local emergency room.

CPJ emailed the police and the prosecutor’s office in Banja Luka for comment but did not receive any replies.

Source: cpj

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