Ratko Kovačević, the head of the department for communications and international cooperation of the Indirect Taxation Authority of B&H, told for "Avaz" that a gilded icon was not reported to the B&H Customs Service at Sarajevo Airport for import or export.

A gift from Milorad Dodik

It is a 300-year-old icon that is the subject of interest of several countries, and which was presented by the Chairman of the Presidency of B&H, Milorad Dodik, to the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov. We remind you that after Lavrov returned the icon to the B&H Embassy in Moscow, Ambassador Željko Samardžija brought it to Sarajevo at the end of last year.

Ukraine claims that icon represents its cultural heritage.

Cultural treasure

- When it comes to cultural treasures, only the export of such goods is on the permit regime, while special permits are not required for import. On the other hand, diplomatic mail has a special status and it can be specially inspected only if there is a justified suspicion that there is something disputable in it, but with the obligatory presence of the embassy whose diplomatic shipment is the property - Kovačević explained.