Čović's love for Russia and UZP values recommended him to Sattler as the leader of BiH's European path

By Rasim Belko

---

Dragan Čović is one of the strongest proponents and champions of the European integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated the head of the EU Delegation Johann Sattler today to the cameras, after a meeting with Dragan Čović, leader of the HDZ.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Sattler and Čović in Mostar are wearing protective equipment, beneath which hide masks of interest, lies, and anti-state, or rather anti-Bosnian-Herzegovinian politics.

The actions of European Union diplomats in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been a charade of foolishness and lies for over a decade, behind which various levels of interest are hidden.

The question arises according to what criteria European officials send representatives to Bosnia and Herzegovina. What is unquestionable is that these are incapable cadres, because these cadres have not brought Bosnia and Herzegovina even a millimeter closer to the Union.

And how could they, when they claim that Dragan Čović is the greatest driver of BiH's European path. However, the whole story about Čović as the leader of BiH's integration began with Peter Sorensen, continued with Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, and is clearly still ongoing with Sattler.

Private interests of bad diplomats or higher interests of European bureaucrats? What is the reason for such behavior from those who are expected to democratize, first and foremost, our political scene, but also to fully promote our European path.

We have a High Representative in the OHR, a Special Representative in the EU Delegation, and a mess in the country for which they are also largely responsible.

Without a vision for solving the tasks entrusted to them, with the inevitable saluting of responsible BiH politicians, European representatives seemed lost and powerless to do anything. However, what was their success was keeping Dragan Čović on the political scene.

Peter Sorensen pretended to seek a solution to the "Sejdić-Finci" issue, but in reality, through that game, he tried to push the HDZ into the BiH Constitution, in a way that would permanently secure them a place in the Presidency of BiH.

After the failure, he was transferred to another position before the end of his term.

"Ambassador Wigemark was probably a little uncomfortable leaving behind chaos and a sea of unfinished business, which his predecessor Peter Sorensen had pushed into his arms at one time. Does anyone still remember that Danish diplomat who got completely lost in the wilderness of Bosnian reality, promoting false reformers and then fled to Geneva?", Ranko Mavrak asked in a column for infomedia Balkan in August last year.

The sequence of events from these two sentences by Mavrak perhaps best describes the manner and effectiveness of the actions of EU special representatives.

 

If we remember Sorensen, among other things, for the attempt to repackage the Constitution for the benefit of the HDZ and Dragan Čović, Lars-Gunnar Wigemark had a slightly longer list for his memoirs.

He was an advocate for the cessation of the use of OHR's Bonn powers, arguing that they cannot replace the courts in this country and that the rule of law must be ensured, and that this is the fundamental issue.

Furthermore, Wigemark did not shy away from lobbying for the political interests of Dragan Čović and Milorad Dodik, while simultaneously stating that Bosnia and Herzegovina will not join the EU until an agreement is reached within the country.

Perhaps what he is most remembered for is the Excise Law, due to which the citizens of this country found themselves under new burdens, and politicians faced the challenge of where and how to spend the money.

Wigemark left, Sattler arrived, the policy has not changed.

The current head of the EU Delegation, Johann Sattler, has simply continued where his predecessors left off. Countless meetings without effect, stories and fairy tales...

Although all European officials with a mandate in Bosnia and Herzegovina talk about this country not joining the Union until domestic leaders take responsibility, every time an agreement is lacking, and it is contrary to the EU's wishes, they make an effort to ensure that domestic parties reach an agreement among themselves.

This was the case with excise taxes, and it was recently the case with the IMF arrangement for BiH. SDA, HDZ, and SNSD could not agree. The failure of the arrangement was becoming increasingly certain, and then Sattler appeared and organized a tribal meeting of Bakir Izetbegović, Dragan Čović, and Milorad Dodik.

And lo and behold, they agreed. And it's the same every time. Every time, European diplomacy in BiH nullifies the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina to secure votes for themselves and those close to them. Izetbegović, Dodik, and Čović are merely ikebanas of these and similar policies.

Perhaps that is why Sattler considers Čović a figurehead of BiH's European path. Yes, the same Dragan Čović who, bypassing all European Union rules, supports and defends war criminals and their crimes.

The same Čović who destroyed everything he could in Herzegovina.

And finally, the same Čović who plays to Russia's tune with Dodik and Aleksandar Vučić. Not from yesterday. This has been going on for a long time.

"The role of the Russian Federation is irreplaceable and fundamental: it balances, creates a balance of power in the world, and cannot be avoided in resolving any international problem. At the same time, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which is privileged to have a partner in the Russian Federation, wishes to expand comprehensive cooperation with Moscow, including strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation," Čović told "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" after his visit to Russia.

Either Brussels has changed its stance towards Russia, and Sattler forgot to inform us, or there is a new game of interests at play by just one of the many European cadres who come to teach us European values, even though these values are older in our country than in Europe.

What motivates Sattler to visit Čović? Have Čović's pro-Russian and UZP values recommended him to Sattler as the leader of BiH's European path?

If Čović's values are European for Sattler, then it would be best for these European diplomatic dandies to pack up and leave this country and let us agree among ourselves.