HDZ BiH President Dragan Čović said on Tuesday that criticism directed at Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman will not weaken Croatia’s support for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Croat people in BiH.
Čović made this statement after the HDZ BiH Closing Ceremony and the celebration of the 36th anniversary of the party’s founding, responding to a question about criticism directed at the Croatian minister from Sarajevo regarding his statements about the possible formation of a new, or separate, Croatian electoral unit in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“It is to be expected that during the campaign or in this pre-election period, all those who are dissatisfied with the environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina try to find a problem somewhere, or to bring up some topic in order to mobilize their electorate a little or make themselves visible,” said Čović.
He assessed that the Croatian Government, led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, as well as the Croatian ministers who regularly visit BiH, “are correctly reflecting the policy of advocacy for Bosnia and Herzegovina”, with all its values stemming from the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of BiH.
“I fear that without these people, we would be in a much worse position today than we are,” assessed Čović.
He added that the roll calls will have no effect, except that, as he said, they will additionally motivate Grlić Radman and other representatives of the Republic of Croatia to more strongly help the Croatian people in BiH, but also Bosnia and Herzegovina itself.
He also commented on the allegations about the engagement of lobbying houses in the United States of America, emphasizing that these are activities that the party has been carrying out for the past 20 years, and the goal of these activities is “the presentation of the legitimate demands and goals of the Croatian people in BiH”.
“What we advocate as representatives of the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a united party of Croats, is how to preserve the complete equality of the Croatian people, in accordance with the constitutional principle of equality, where collective rights are protected,” he said.
Čović stated that in the past two years, greater investment opportunities have been recognized in BiH, emphasizing that it is not only about the southern gas interconnection project, but also about “a multitude of other projects”.
The closing ceremony of the HDZ BiH was held in conjunction with the celebration of the 36th anniversary of the party’s founding and an expanded session of the HDZ BiH Presidency.
In this context, the continuity of the political activities of the HDZ BiH was emphasized, as well as the importance of preserving the values on which the party bases its work.
“We remembered all those 36 years, the challenges and temptations that faced the Croatian Democratic Union, and of course, we dedicated special time and through my presentation to what we left as our imprint and trace in political activity, but also in the activities of the executive and legislative authorities through the representatives of the HDZ in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Čović.
As part of marking the anniversary of the founding of the HDZ BiH, honor was paid to the fallen Croatian defenders and deceased members of the party. Wreaths were laid and candles lit at the monument to the fallen Croatian defenders in front of the Croatian House of Herceg Stjepan Kosača, with gratitude to all whose lives and activities have woven a part into the history of the party, Fena writes.
