After statements on Tuesday by officials from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in the European Parliament, Croatian political scientist and political analyst Davor Gjenero also commented.
Statements by BiH Presidency Chairman Zeljko Komsic that Dodik and Covic are Russia’s most loyal co-workers and a question from German diplomat Michael Gahler, a member of the European Parliament, to Milorad Dodik on whether Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov promised him anything is an open message to BiH politicians that the European Union (EU) knows very well who are the politicians who belong to the retrograde forces that hold this country their captive, Gjenero believes.
”Komsic did not say anything new, which we did not know before, but never before has this object been so important. It is important that the European Parliament, that is, the majority of deputies in it, realized that any undermining of the unity and sustainability of BiH as a sovereign and integral country is strongly linked to Russia’s destructive influence,” Davor Gjenero said.
Then, he stated that after the aggression of Russia on Ukraine, Europe achieved unprecedented unity and homogeneity.
”The strength for that unity was given to a good extent by the courageous defense of the Ukrainian people and their unity, and that unity was achieved by gathering around European values, as opposed to the primitive aggressor. That is why Europe expects unity in BiH, and that unity can be achieved only around the values of the European and Euro-Atlantic perspective of the country. Those who do not understand this cannot count on any understanding of the European institutions,” he added.
He believes that Dragan Covic has put himself in a difficult position by joining Dodik, which in the new circumstances is repulsive to all those who care about the consolidation of the European neighborhood, European and Euro-Atlantic perspective of neighboring countries, and especially BiH.
What was the actual treatment of Dragan Covic in the European Parliament on Tuesday?
”Covic probably regrets not taking the opportunity to reach an agreement on changing the election legislation in Neum at the latest. It seems to me that Covic had to understand the message yesterday that he and Croats in BiH are expected to form an alliance and cooperation, and if Covic ignores that message, it is clearly defined that the elections in BiH will take place in any case. Namely, there will be no more international patience for boycotts and blockades of political institutions. The political class must be able to reach an agreement and compromise, otherwise, those who obstruct compromises will be politically repressed,” Gjenero added yesterday.
He states that it is shameful what the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanovic, claims that Croats in BiH do not have problems with Serbs, but only with Bosniaks.
”Less than half of BiH, ruled by the authoritarian regime of Milorad Dodik, as an exponent of Vucic’s and Putin’s policies, is home to less than a quarter of the pre-war Croat population, and those who are still there live with Bosniaks as a completely disadvantaged minority. There are only minor problems in the Federation that need to be addressed and solutions are possible. Changing the electoral legislation, which would be an application of the tripartite state, specifically the creation of a virtual entity in which Croats, like the majority, would suppress all Bosniak rights and Croats in the rest of the Federation would be left without political rights, is not a solution acceptable for a sustainable and functional BiH,” Gjenero clearly stated.
Asked whether Covic’s maneuver space has been reduced and whether it would have been better if he had managed to agree earlier on some changes to the election law at the meeting in Neum, Gjenero answered with:
”I think it is clear that obstruction of institutions will not be tolerated in the coming period, just as any delegitimization of public authorities by postponing elections will not be accepted. The EU expects an agreement within the Federation to be reached in a short time. It is dangerous that the current Croatian president, probably the only EU head of state who still works for his Kremlin patrons, insists on supporting Dodik and pushing Covic into the arms of Dodik, Vucic, and Putin. It is clear that if Covic continues the policy that Milanovic encourages him to do, and if he continues to oppose the agreements between Croats and Bosniaks on the election legislation, he cannot count on political survival within BiH. It is obvious that the EU sees BiH as part of the European and Euro-Atlantic space, and the totalitarian regime in Moscow is beginning to fear that, so that is why the latest threats from their quasi-diplomatic representative in Sarajevo appeared,” he concluded.
Gjenero also believes that the problems between Croats and Bosniaks in the Federation of BiH (FBiH) can be solved very easily with the political will of both sides.
On Tuesday, the European Parliament told BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik that there is no place for genocide deniers in Europe and the messages of support to a united and sovereign BiH were sent with full respect for its territorial integrity, despite his claim that BiH is in a permanent crisis and that many believe it is an impossible state.
E.Dz.
Source: Klix.ba
