The guest of this week’s first edition of Rezime was Dennis Gratz, a representative in the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He says that he experiences everything that happened in the past weeks and months quite emotionally.
“I was surprised by the silence of a large number of people who traditionally advertise themselves. Somehow our intellectual scene has died down. I think we were much more alive, more active on any topic of the world, region, Europe, but somehow it all died down and it’s as if everyone they are waiting to see how this farce about the overthrow of one regime and the installation of a new one will end. I have the feeling that the citizens are used to various leaders who do not and do not feel any responsibility towards them, leaving their destinies in their hands. All in all, we are used to someone others make decisions for us and we feel comfortable in that comfort. However, what happens when those decisions cause us great harm, and now we are in a situation where they cause us great harm.”
He believes that Igor Stojanović bravely stepped forward last week.
“I’m really not going to be a person who’s going to criticize him. I believe he’s under tremendous pressure. He came out bravely, he showed that he could meet the historic height of the task of asking the question. Most importantly he broke the false spin that the president and the vice president are blocking anything. He had certain objections, which were first of all directed towards the disastrous personnel policy of his parent party. Today he reiterated and I would not comment on it further except that it was symptomatic that Mr. Čović, as a reaction to his decision, very dryly parried that it would be completed, that Stojanović will not be a problem. This tells us who is really pulling the strings here and who is in charge.”
Gratz points out that Dragan Čović is very often underestimated, but also overestimated.
“We don’t have an invitation for the session, we haven’t seen 50 signatures, we don’t know what the new government will do. We are bombarded with names that change, rotate, we have people who have been convicted. I have information that the heads of the clubs will meet on Thursday. So we don’t have an invitation for session, there is time for it to be convened only in an extraordinary form, which is also not a problem. However, we have a million other unknowns. Mr. Lendo is still of the position that he will not give his consent to the appointment of the Government. Nobody is blocking anything here.”
He emphasizes that Christian Schmidt should be called to account for what he “packaged”.
When asked whether Refik Lendo protects the interests of the Bosniaks or the SDA, Gratz replies: “I hope that he protects the interests of the citizens of FBiH first of all, because he was appointed to the position of executive power and if so, he has the obligation to protect the interests of all citizens of BiH. In general I think it is very counterproductive, if we strive for European values, to return to the position of whether we represent particular interests. This further divides us, fragments us and as a result confirms what was the outcome of the war, which is ethnic cleansing, genocide, war crimes .”
He says that he does not understand what is currently happening in the SDP.
“I don’t know who drinks or who pays there. We also saw this on Friday, what happened with Stojanović, so I take all their announcements with a grain of salt. I hope that everyone will respond to this task and that we will find a solution that will be permanent. That there will be no ad hoc intervention by anyone, but let’s find a model that applies equal measures to all. I would not like Mr. Schmidt to do anything more, with all due respect. I would really like him to leave this country as soon as possible and stop operating , because he seems anti-Bosnia and Herzegovina. I also have the impression that he doesn’t particularly like these people here and that he doesn’t like it. I don’t think that what he is imposing is good and what he did caused enough damage.”
Gratz states that those who can form a coalition have the majority.
“It is quite legitimate. In the House of Representatives, it is 50 hands. However, there must be the complacency of the executive power. So if this does not work now, why not open talks with any other party. The Democratic Front would not come into power at this moment because he talks exclusively to names through the media. Political parties are spoiled by nominations of incompetent individuals. This is not acceptable for us and we do not want to be a part of it. My biggest objection to the “Coalition of Three” is that they let everything go to get a couple of female officials, without asking for anything in return. It was sad for me when I read the Program that they published. These are nonsense, general concepts. There is nothing that the Three was looking for. I really want to be told what is actually happening here. Why is the current government showing servility towards Zagreb, why is it not political processes are happening in the capital of this country, like it or not? Why do we have constant attacks on the institutions of this country, verbal and systemic?”
I’m afraid they want to divide our land
He believes that at the moment the influence of the American ambassador is inappropriate because certain of his statements are not in the manner of a good guest.
“He has nothing to suggest how we will form the government because it is our government. We should be responsible for and take care of its citizens and citizens. I absolutely do not believe that Schmidt is acting alone. I’m afraid they want to divide our land. Three parts, three ethnic groups, so you find your way. Wanting to please Mr. Vučić, Zagreb has changed its policy. This nation deserved much better.”
Regarding the results of yesterday’s elections in Montenegro, he says that they can have an impact on Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“They are part of the whole new narrative. The whole story about the Open Balkans, the Serbian world, it’s still in the domain of some narratives, we don’t have anything concrete. The outcome of the war in Ukraine will definitely decide what this world will look like and whether an open society will survive , the civic model and democracy. I’m sure that the Russian influence and at this moment, what is happening here, is what is producing these earthquakes throughout the region.”
“I have nothing against Dayton if we develop it to go in the direction of a modern, civil state,” concluded Gratz.