Fear, endangerment, and security threats – these are guaranteed topics for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) politicians in election years. Although they say they don’t want war, most of their speeches in recent days have been about war and counting. And also, of course, morality. And, it seems, many have lost it a long time ago.
The citizens of BiH do not care about war horns. They say they have enough problems anyway. And they say they are used to counts and similar statements. Especially during the pre-election period, which has obviously begun in earnest.
But political leaders in BiH do not see their responsibility in such statements. And then the leader of the SDA says that he does not choose the topics, they are imposed on him by those who are trying to shake the foundations of BiH again. And Bosniaks, based on experience, says SDA president Bakir Izetbegovic, have the right to such reactions.
”Then in Visegrad, the Chetniks threaten us that the Drina will flow with blood again, Serbia is armed to the teeth, the right strategies include the Republika Srpska (RS), Vulin and Dodik threaten to divide BiH, but then everyone is horrified when I say that we counted ourselves in all of this. Bosniaks have the right to exaggerated fears,” Izetbegovic stated.
In the meantime, new war-mongering and secessionist statements and insults are being recorded. So Milorad Dodik, for the country of which he is the president, says: “BiH did not exist before me, and it will not exist after me either.” He also accused the high representative of violating the Constitution.
”Schmidt’s abandonment of the intention to change the Electoral Law in a way to facilitate legitimate representation in the Federal House of Peoples is proof that his actions are directed by Sarajevo politicians, and that everything will lead to an even greater majority of Croats in the Federation. On the other hand, imposed so-called technical changes that should prevent hate speech, all forms of inappropriate behavior in the campaign, and abuse of public resources, the Central Election Commission (CEC) is now given an “inquisitorial role”,” Dodik said.
The High Representative gave the leaders 6 weeks to come to a solution regarding the Electoral Law. Otherwise, he will make the decision. But analysts warn that it will be difficult to make a decision to everyone’s satisfaction, which could have serious consequences.
”The other possibility is the radicalization of clash and conflict, which could be seen in the indications at the recent Sarajevo protest where there was talk of some kind of counting. In my opinion, this is very dangerous rhetoric that all three actors should face individually,” said Andjelko Milardovic, a political analyst.
Warnings are also coming from Croatia that the October elections could be the prelude to real political chaos, unrest, and the disintegration of BiH if the high representative does not make a decision that would guarantee respect for the Croats’ constitutionality. Croatian general Ante Gotovina’s lawyer in The Hague and political commentator, Luka Misetic, claims that in that case, Croatia could terminate the Dayton Peace Agreement under international law.
”Bosniak political parties plan to use the October elections to deprive Croats of their rights. This would directly violate one of the basic pillars of the Dayton Peace Agreement. Under international law, two out of three countries have the right to terminate it if they believe a third party is violating the agreement. If Belgrade agrees with Zagreb that this is the case, the two countries have the right to terminate the Dayton Peace Agreement,” Misetic emphasized.
However, withdrawing from the Dayton Peace Agreement brings with it great international risks, which, according to the director of the International Institute for the Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) Zijad Becirovic, Croatia cannot afford. Becirovic says that Croatia secured the role of a co-signatory by participating in the war in BiH. And with such a mortgage, according to the same international law that Misetic refers to, he says, it can hardly be a reliable partner, respected in the international legal order. In any case, all this, as well as earlier warnings about the possibility of the war spilling over from Europe into BiH, experts in the political situation say, is more than enough for the big players to finally get involved, if they want peace in these areas, N1 writes.
E.Dz.
