The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, told reporters today in Sarajevo that the group of parties that make up the majority at the state level is on “glass legs” from the very beginning and that they are bound by a common interest, which is EU integration.
“We are bound by that common interest, which, above all, is called EU integration. My basic message is to get on with it. We have come too close, it would be stupid to stop now, it would be frivolous, because of all the people in BiH who are waiting for us to improve their living conditions,” said Konaković.
We will see in the coming days, he said, if there is any seriousness or if populism has become popular again, as it always was before.
“What is really different now is that on the other side there are measurable chances, opportunities and that thanks to the media today people in Bosnia and Herzegovina know that potentially serious support can come into their pockets very quickly. On the other hand, if we don’t do that, politicians are putting their hands in the pockets of citizens throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, at every inch of it,” stressed Konaković.
He added that he would recommend his colleagues to continue something that made them champions of EU integration.
“These days we will send an invitation for the next meeting,” announced Konaković.
Regarding the amendments to the BiH Election Law, he said that they have proposals that have been on the table for a long time in terms of additional improvement of the part of the law that concerns electoral integrity.
He called on everyone, especially the opposition, to work on changes to the Constitution and on the implementation of judgments of international courts.
“This is a prerequisite for the European path, it is also part of the obligation for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and within that framework we also solve other issues, let’s say what HDZ is asking for. In no way separate from constitutional reforms. We will see next week what it will look like, if that meeting will happen at all. We are still more than willing to continue the political dialogue in difficult circumstances and to deliver some more important documents for BiH’s path to the EU,” said Konaković.
Answering a journalist’s question, he said that it seems to him that the politicians in RS have “seriously played” with the idea and plan to hold some by-elections, contrary to the Constitution and the laws of this country, and have brought themselves to an even greater impasse than they are today.
He stated that funds for local elections in BiH will certainly be provided in full.
“If Minister Amidžić does not do it, his deputy will do it, in accordance with the decision of the High Representative, which resolved the issue permanently and no one can block the implementation of the elections. I am not afraid of that at all, there will be elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Konaković.
The Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edin Forto, believes that it is necessary for the representatives of the ruling parties to continue to work and make strides that they have proven to be possible. He stated that any threats will not bear fruit.
“The country cannot move forward if there is no agreement, BiH cannot move forward if there is no agreement. With this rhythm and this kind of suffering for the adoption of every law, we will never enter the EU. Therefore, it is very important that we decide who wants to join the EU and who doesn’t, because with this rhythm we will never enter,” Forto believes.
According to him, in order for any country to enter the EU, and this is shown by previous experience, it must have a strong central administration that can push through the process, to adopt, harmonize, 100 thousand pages of densely typed text of legal acts.
“Everything else is an illusion. You cannot say that you are for the EU without allowing these processes to be carried out and talking about some kind of blockages,” said Forto, Fena reports.
