US Embassy to Patria on HZ HB Assembly: We reject any further geographical division of BiH

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The US remains consistently committed to the principles of the Dayton Peace Agreement – Bosnia and Herzegovina as a democratic, multi-ethnic, sovereign and independent state with two entities, three constituent peoples, and with unquestionable territorial integrity, was stated to the Patria news agency by the Public Affairs Office of the US Embassy in Sarajevo, commenting on the Assembly of the Croatian Community of Herceg Bosna, held on Wednesday in Mostar.

The Croatian Community of Herceg Bosna was founded in 1991 as a self-proclaimed body within the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A few years later, it would be renamed the Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosna, but also abolished in 1994. Some of the leading figures of Herceg Bosna were convicted by the Hague Tribunal at the end of 2017 for crimes against Bosniaks in Herzegovina and Central Bosnia.

Around 90 delegates, officials of the Croatian people from all levels of government, party presidents, representatives of the church, cultural and educational institutions, and businessmen attended the Mostar Assembly, and its new leadership was elected during the Assembly.

The President of HDZ BiH, Dragan Čović, also addressed the Assembly.

“We have lived through the 28 years behind us, and we can express pride for that time and the wise decisions we made to preserve and protect the Croatian people,” Čović said.

“We must preserve something that is invaluable, and that is this name Herceg Bosna… I want us to elect adequate leadership at this assembly, primarily a president of the assembly who can lead, so that as long as we fight for our full equality throughout BiH, represented through legitimate representatives of Croats at every level. Until that time, we must fully organize HZ HB and all other institutions of the Croatian people and seek unity,” Čović conveyed.

The US Embassy, on the other hand, states that they reject any further geographical division of BiH.

“We decisively reject any further geographical division of BiH, including the possibility of forming a third entity, and we strongly oppose divisions based on ethnic principles.
We encourage leaders to continue Bosnia and Herzegovina's path towards the already set goals of EU and NATO integration. Further divisions in BiH would represent a direct obstacle to achieving prosperity and set goals,” stated the Public Affairs Office of the US Embassy in BiH.