Even today, there were plenty of reactions to the so-called “non-paper” which predicts the redrawing of the borders in the Balkans. Leaders of the liberal parties of Southeast Europe have stated that border changes in the Western Balkans would be disastrous for the entire European Union (EU). The president of Croatia had a message that any kind of division is out of the question. On the other hand, Milorad Dodik, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Presidency Chairman, reiterated his views on the separation.
As the Chairman of the BiH Presidency is concerned, a peaceful separation is still the only option, and he says that it will certainly be realized in the upcoming period. Dodik also noted that he is not in favor of redrawing the borders.
“Many say, at least as far as BiH is concerned, that redrawing of the borders won’t happen, and that they don’t support it. Of course, I’m not for changing borders either. The border between the Republika Srpska (RS) and the other entity was established by an international agreement and it is definite thus will not change, ” told Milorad Dodik, Chairman of the BiH Presidency.
Meanwhile, the President of Serbia mentioned that he will not interfere in the internal relations of BiH. He stated that he has not seen maps of border changes in the region. Also, the President of Croatia does not know the details of the non-paper either, and he considers any story about a peaceful separation of BiH to be frivolous and dangerous.
“I would say to the one who is the author of this paper – keep fingers away from BiH. The people in Sarajevo will probably like this. So, don’t mess with BiH. Any peaceful division, Croatia to the Drina, Belgrade to the Una – that is out of the question, ” told Zoran Milanovic, the President of the Republic of Croatia.
“I am disappointed with the complete intellectual demobilization of our intellectual public as well as the elite and pseudo-elite. They are filled in with assessments of something that no one has ever seen, ” said Aleksandar Vucic, the President of Serbia.
The liberal parties of Southeast Europe have similar positions, saying that the content of non-paper is clear – these are dangerous ideas that, as they say, could open Pandora’s box. Any attempt to change the borders, they believe, can be disastrous.
“We are determined to oppose the ideas of sick minds and politicians who dream of creating great states. We want a region with existing states, open borders that are fully integrated into the EU, where people will be happy and extremists will be isolated, ” Roman Jakic, the president of the Liberal South East European Network (LIBSEEN) and former Minister of Defense of Slovenia, emphasized.
As the former Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Vesna Pusic, believes, the thesis about Islamic extremism in BiH, which is part of the content of “non-paper”, is especially dangerous, BHRT writes.
E.Dz.
