Before his trip to Brussels, Milorad Dodik stopped by Minsk. European values, judging by the threats and ultimatums, he once again advocated for Russian interests. But he is not the only one. Leader of optimism towards European integration Dragan Čović – instead of promoting European values, he decided to attend the promotion of a book by a convicted war criminal. So we ask ourselves: who is making European moves, and who is playing for other people’s, anti-European interests? And how will we get to the capital of democracy with moves that are diametrically opposed to that?
Opposing attitudes, interests and conditions. Nothing new in the state coalition. However, at least in one declarative and on paper agreement: the European path is the only direction, with no alternative. And when everything sounds too harmonious, in BH “but” is indispensable to the political training ground. The moves of the longest-lasting political duo with European values do not go hand in hand. Milorad Dodik’s old policy is again visible in full glory or, rather, political darkness from Belarus. Under the impression of the political atmosphere there, he threatens and conditions the high representative Christian Schmidt. Placing at stake the approach to the door of the EU.
“The RS is for an agreement within Bosnia and Herzegovina, but we are also determined to put an end to the European path if Christian Schmidt tries to interfere in the changes to the Election Law”, said Dodik on the X platform.
Crossroads between two directions – European and Russian. He cannot sit on two chairs. To Brussels via Minsk is not a desirable route. For whom and whose interests does he work for?
“Typical work of a Russian proxy in the Western Balkans. You shouldn’t believe a word he says. He is openly working to prevent Bosnia and Herzegovina from moving towards Brussels, openly breaking Bosnia and Herzegovina, to move towards the ‘Serbian world’ and later to the ‘Russian world,'” political analyst Dragan Bursać assesses.
“If you opt for the European path – then you also accept the European values that are at the root of that alliance. And on the other hand, you are doing everything that contradicts those European ideas”, says psychologist Srđan Puhalo.
Everything is further away from European ideas, while getting closer to the atmosphere of the “Russian world”. At the same time looking for the culprit in someone else’s yard. More precisely, exclusively at the Troika address. At the same time, he hushed up the anti-European moves of his political partner. Dragan Čović is no stranger to the double game either. Self-proclaimed leader and seer of European values at the promotion of war criminal Valentin Ćorić’s book. The train driver derailed on the way to Europe.
“Cović, of course, is not a train driver or a leader towards the EU. This is a man who respects war criminals, not the victims,” emphasizes Bursać.
“We are witnessing a schizophrenia of the value we have with these two,” says Puhalo.
The target is the same, critics of the HDZ BiH leader’s moves are well known. The list of discontent in the ranks of American officials is getting longer. From the southern interconnection to the glorification of war criminals.
“Public support and glorification of convicted war criminals certainly has no place in a ‘European Bosnia and Herzegovina for all’,” said, among other things, the US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
European Bosnia and Herzegovina. It also sounds good to the leaders, but preferably according to their rules and ideas. All in the key weeks for harmonizing positions and completing the task. There are two more left on the to-do list. Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interest and Law on Courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although the list is short, for BiH leaders is not necessarily simple. But the stakes are high. The status of negotiators is decided by the progress report. Black on white. There will be no hiding what has been done and what has not been done. And whose interests will decide in the end: European, Russian or personal.
