The first extraordinary session of the Croatian National Assembly (HNS) of BiH, the umbrella organization of parties with a Croatian sign, has begun in Mostar.
On the eve of the session, the HNS BiH delegation led by President Dragan Covic, the leader of the HDZ BiH, laid wreaths and lit candles in front of the monument to the fallen Croatian war veterans.
Time for a strong message to all the people of BiH
In a statement to the media afterwards, Covic said that “everything we have been doing for the last 20 years since the Croatian National Assembly (HNS) existed is looking for solutions to ensure a comfortable life for all BiH residents, primarily for our home, family, people and homeland of Bosnia and Herzegovina and on that path we had more success, but also difficulties. “
”Today we want to say that the time has come to send a strong message to all citizens of BiH, all partners with whom we share power in BiH, as well as international institutions and primarily our people that we want to care for them, that we want to ensure a dignified life in BiH , to ensure full constitutional equality of the Croatian people with the other two peoples in BiH and to ensure legitimate representatives in all levels of government in BiH,” Covic said.
The task of today’s extraordinary Parliament
“That is the task of today’s extraordinary Parliament. I believe that our messages will be strong enough, above all, a sign of unity of all political representatives of the Croatian people in BiH,” said Covic.
Asked to comment on the proposed conclusion regarding the institutional and territorial organization of the state in the event that no agreement is reached on changes to the Election Law in BiH, ie whether it can be interpreted as an attempt to create a third entity, Covic said the conclusions can be discussed after the end of today’s session.
“Everything that has been speculated in the media and commented on in various ways, this time I will deny you a comment. So, when the Parliament is over, you will have very clear conclusions,” he said.
Earlier today HNS assesses that in the negotiations so far, the HNS Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) negotiating team has consistently implemented the established negotiating framework of the Mostar Agreement of June 17th, 2020 on Amendments to the BiH Election Law and Limited Amendments to the BiH Constitution, especially in the part related to the legitimate representation of the constituent peoples at all administrative and political levels of government.”
Further, the second conclusion of the HNS concerns Ljubic‘s decision and the lack of conditions for holding elections. “HNS confirms that the formal and legal conditions for holding the 2022 General Elections have not been met. The current Election Law is not in line with the BiH Constitution and is anti-Dayton. Its amendments should enable the implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH U-23/14 and all judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, “ it was mentioned in the conclusion of the HNS.
In conclusion number three, the HNS pointed out that it is ready to continue negotiating on the Election Law.Namely, the fourth conclusion is interesting because it characterizes practically all pro-Bosniak parties as usurpers of Croatian political rights, mentions that they endanger Croatian national interests, and tells them that they are not a partner of the HNS.
”All political actors who block the implementation of the Mostar Agreement and thus prevent the Croatian constituent people from legitimately representing themselves in the House of Peoples and the Presidency of BiH, HNS will consider usurpers of Croatian political rights and threats to national interests and political subjectivity of Croats in BiH. Such political subjects and actors are not and will not be political partners of the HNS BiH,” it was written in the fourth conclusion.
The fifth conclusion concerns the Central Election Commission(CEC).
The sixth conclusion states the following: ”HNS will consistently respect the existing constitutional and legal order of BiH established by Croats, Bosniaks, and Serbs as three constitutionally equal constituent peoples until initiatives to amend the BiH Constitution and its laws violate such relations to the detriment of the Croatian constituent people.”
Conclusion number seven is perhaps the clearest. Either Herceg-Bosna or the Election Law and the consumption of political rights.
