Regional Secretary: The Authority To Approve The Consul General Of Russia In Bali Is In The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs

DENPASAR - Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Bali Province Dewa Made Indra said that the authority to approve the Russian Consulate General's Office (Konjen) may be opened in Bali as the domain of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu).

"If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has approved, the provincial government will accept it or just accept it because the authority of foreign relations is the authority of the central government, not the authority of the regional government," said Dewa Indra, Monday, July 29.

To open a consular or foreign embassy, the coordination is with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the approval is also from there. Including, said Dewa Indra, related to the plan to open a Russian Consul General in Bali, he will definitely coordinate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If it has been approved, then coordinate with Bali.

"After getting approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they will usually report to the governor to prepare it," he said.

Dewa Indra emphasized that the formation of foreign representative offices, whether consular or consultant honor, is the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the other hand, regarding the proposal of the Bali DPRD which encourages the Bali Provincial Government to coordinate so that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs opens a representative office in Bali, according to him, is a good idea.

"I personally see that it is a good idea, we will coordinate it later. Actually it is relatively reasonable, not to mention there are important international activities. It is very good if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has representatives in Bali, but the decision to open or not is in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," said Dewa Indra.

Meanwhile Gede Kusuma Putra, Coordinator of the Raperda Accountability for the Implementation of the Universe APBD Planning for Bali Province for Fiscal Year 2023 at the Bali DPRD, said that the Bali DPRD encourages the Bali Provincial Government to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to open a representative office in Bali.

Thus, it is believed that foreign tourists' affairs and problems are acting up and causing problems, he said, to get quick and proper treatment.

"Foreign tourists in Bali who have made recent actions certainly have an impact on damaging the image of Bali tourism. On the other hand, we still hope that foreign tourist visits will continue to increase," he said.

The government of the Russian Federation has previously announced plans to open the Russian Consul General's Office in Bali via the Russian Embassy Instagram page in Indonesia.

Based on the upload, the opening of the Konjen office will use a budget originating from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.