The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željko Komšić, spoke about the assertions of the president of the Republika Srpska entity, Milorad Dodik, that Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be a civil state.
He also spoke about the announcement of the rejection of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the Kovačević case, saying that the judgment is historically important for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that it is a line that cannot be crossed.
“Ethnic parties are scaring people into losing their identities that they care about in civil BiH. It is a lie and manipulation. It is precisely these identities that are best protected in the civic idea, because that idea protects individuals and all that they are as people. Being a Bosniak, Serb, Croat, Roma, Jew, etc. in the civic concept it is neither a disadvantage nor an advantage. It matters what someone is like as a person, an expert, capable or incapable, hardworking, honest or dishonest, etc. Milorad Dodik may or may not reject the Kovačević verdict, but his actions mean nothing. The verdict exists and will exist regardless of what anyone says, thinks or does about it, and it set an important historical precedent for Bosnia and Herzegovina. It now becomes the “lower limit” below which one cannot go, was stated by the BiH Presidency chairman.
