Important visits for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the past week are behind us. Numerous ministers from various countries, the president of Hungary, representatives of NATO, and the visit of the US Deputy Secretary of State for Europe, James O’Brien, caused the most reaction. He sent important messages, but also numerous criticisms of the political leaders of the ruling parties.
We have shown again that Bosnians and Herzegovina are good hosts. We know how to host and talk to guests. One, maybe a little more – the US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe. He did not spare political leaders Milorad Dodik and Dragan Čović, and reprimands were also addressed to the leaders of the Troika. And from the leaders of NIP, SDP and Our Party, as a reaction, there are statements that foreign officials have well recognized anti-state policies. but also that this visit confirmed the partnership relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and NATO and the strong support for the Euro-Atlantic path and integrations. Their comment on the important message was missing, namely that the agreement from Laktasi is not good. This is precisely the warning for the leaders of the Troika, is the view of academician Slava Kukić.
SLAVO KUKIĆ, academician
“I want to say that in this whole story, trying to achieve compromises, so to speak, Nikšić and Forto and Konaković will have to take more care, and that they will have to take care of the fact that there is a red line below which one must not fall, even at the cost of the much-desired of compromise.”
Compromise policies are by far the most important issue in the political life of our country. The agreement regarding the Constitutional Court or the BiH Election Law is no exception. And while they are trying to achieve it, the fierce criticism of the influential American diplomat is at the expense of HDZ BiH and SNSD policies. Analysts say – the yellow card was sent to Dragan Čović because of the construction of the Southern Interconnection, and Dodik has already had a red card for a long time.
MLADEN BUBONJIĆ, political analyst
“Criticism of Milorad Dodik crossed the line a long time ago, he has been on the blacklist for a long time, and Čović lost trust and crossed the line with the representatives of the international community with the move regarding the Southern Interconnection and some other matters where he politically tightened a lot.”
DEJAN ŠAJINOVIĆ, journalist
“The problem of southern interconnection and that energy connection is very important for the USA, not because of economic reasons, that project is marginal as far as they are concerned, but because of the issue of connecting BIH to another energy source in order to somehow reduce dependence on Russia, that is in the interest of American foreign policy.”
Clear messages were sent that the most important thing is security, territorial sovereignty and integrity of BIH. But the political reality, which for years has been based on consensus and which policies are important, is also clear. Declaratively, with small shifts and dilution, there is a consensus about EU integration, but not the NATO path. What are the views of the representatives of Republika Srpska is an indication that BiH Presidency member Željka Cvijanović did not attend the meeting with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO.
NEDŽAD AHATOVIĆ, military analyst
“The very fact that Mr. Knežević, as the new commander of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, did not attend the event in Rajlovac where the representatives of the Atlantic Council and the Secretary of NATO were present, I think it says a lot about our behavior. You can tighten the rope to a certain line, and when it breaks, especially when the Americans have some interest of their own, then they know how to act unilaterally.”
While guests tell politicians what to do, citizens have long known that they want a safe, stable and prosperous country. Although different winds are blowing within the EU itself, it is important to try to take advantage of what is available to us. A new chance for a closer step towards the EU is March, and it will be clear whether domestic politicians are sincerely for the EU or for individual, party interests, in the same place where we have been for the last 30 years.
Photo ©️ Anadolu
E.Dz.
