Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Višković attended today the ceremony of the official opening of the office of the Russian Embassy in Banja Luka.

With the opening of a diplomatic office of the Russian Federation, as a branch of the Head Embassy in Sarajevo, Russia will join the countries that already have their representative offices in Banja Luka.

Prime Minister Višković said that in cooperation with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in BiH, significant results have been achieved in connecting our institutions  on scientific-technological, economic and cultural cooperation. Opening of the Russian Embassy Office in Banja Luka is of great importance because it will enable even more to improve relations between the Republic of Srpska and the Russian Federation.

"Thanks to selfless efforts of the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to BiH, Igor Kalabuhov, and his associates, the priority areas of cooperation between the Republic of Srpska, St. Petersburg and other areas with which agreements on cooperation have been signed are defined and are successfully implemented",  Prime Minister Višković said.

Ambassador of Russian Federation to BiH Igor Kalabuhov and President of Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik opened today the Russian Embassy Office in Banja Luka. Before that, the Russian national anthem has been played and the flag of the Russian Federation was raised on a six-meter high flagpole.

Ambassador Kalabuhov and President Dodik spoke at the ceremony whereas Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, addressed the audience via video link.