Bajrović: Dodik celebrates a political victory because the "Trojka" enabled him to humiliate Bosniaks

Interviewer: Delvin Kovač

The only reason BiH has not slipped into a new conflict is that both Serbia and Croatia know that it would be much harder for them to destroy it this time than in 1992. Simply put, the terrain in BiH favors defense, and those who are willing to die to defend their homeland are many times better armed and more aware than in 1992.

This was stated in an interview with the News Agency Patria (NAP) by the Vice President of the American-European Alliance, Reuf Bajrović, who spoke about the current political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Among other things, he commented on the diplomatic offensive of SNSD leader Milorad Dodik and his secessionist rhetoric, and touched upon the importance of the US implementation of the Southern Interconnection project in preventing a more serious dramatization of the security situation in our country.

How do you view Dodik's performance yesterday at the press conference where he leveled numerous insults against Muslims, Bosniaks, political Sarajevo, and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bajrović: Dodik's insults are simultaneously a sign of enormous superiority, because the "Trojka" has enabled him a position from which he can collectively humiliate Bosniaks as a people in the style of Risto Đogo, and of great weakness because he cannot turn those insults into actions without catastrophic consequences for himself and Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dodik is celebrating his political victory over the political slaves whom he and Čović have lured into a political trap for a four-year tour of harassment.

Is he actually encouraged by the meetings in Jerusalem, Budapest, and Washington, or is he emboldened by Siniša Karan's victory and using it as a premature election campaign for the upcoming elections? Or is it all, after all, just another one of his shots in the dark?

Bajrović: We need to stop talking about things being done as part of an election campaign. Dodik speaks a language that appeared in the public space back in the early eighties in the Belgrade press. Then Karadžić, with the majority support of the Serbian people, used it as part of the project to create an ethnically clean territory that would remain in the same state as Serbia.

Therefore, this is an old rhetorical matrix that Dodik is now using to signal to the Serbian electorate that the leader of the Serbs in BiH is once again strong enough to publicly humiliate Bosniaks without any consequences. This is a signal for them to prepare for possible new outlaw actions and confrontation with the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How dangerous is Dodik's rhetoric for peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bajrović: Dodik's rhetoric is primarily celebratory. He is celebrating his political victory and enjoying the position of power from which he humiliates Bosniaks in a way that no one else anywhere in the world currently humiliates the majority in a democratic country.

There are cases where leaders insult minorities, for example Roma, in a somewhat similar way. So, Dodik addresses Bosniaks like a racist politician towards Roma in the Balkans.

The "Trojka" has led Bosniaks to be treated like Roma, who have been victims of humiliation and belittling by fascists across Europe for centuries, through its catastrophic decisions and appeasement.

However, Dodik's rhetoric is not a cause for panic regarding peace and stability. He has traded his position, promising in Israel and Washington, for the Southern Interconnection and probably some other concessions in the form of natural resources.

Therefore, Dodik is interested in fulfilling what he promised, in terms of registering the company owned by Michael Flynn's brother as the owner of the Southern Interconnection.

Is he so childish that he thinks he could achieve "peaceful separation" and secede a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina just like that, while both the Federation of BiH and the state would silently observe?

Bajrović: If you look at the level of unpreparedness of the special units of the Federal Police Administration (FUP), it is possible that Dodik and Čović will change their minds and move towards killing peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The only reason BiH has not slipped into a new conflict is that both Serbia and Croatia know that it would be much harder to destroy BiH this time than in 1992. Simply put, the terrain in BiH favors defense, and those who are willing to die to defend BiH are many times better armed and more aware than in 1992.

The weakness and charlatanism projected by the key actors of the "Trojka" group might lead neighbors to think that it is worth embarking on a new aggression.

John McCain often spoke about how weakness often provokes aggression. This has been proven to be a fact in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina many times throughout history. The weaker and more peaceful we are, the greater the chances of a new attack on us.

How realistic is it to expect the United States to allow a dramatization of the security situation in BiH, especially after their announcement of the implementation of the Southern Interconnection, but perhaps also some other strategic projects in our country?

Bajrović: That is why Dodik is not threatening any conflicts. He promised to give the Southern Interconnection to an American company, but it is possible that there are more players in this combination in the shadows besides Flynn. Regardless of the fact that Flynn is a very controversial figure, the fact is that the Southern Interconnection is a guarantee of greater stability in the Balkans, and therefore it should be allowed.

Whoever is identified as a blocker of this investment will fare poorly. At the moment, it seems that it is Čović and HDZ, who are delaying as much as possible in the hope of bringing in a state-owned company from Croatia as a co-owner.

Because Čović's goal is to have gas as a means of blackmailing Sarajevo. If he could, Čović would even prevent air from reaching Sarajevo, let alone prevent gas from reaching it, if he got the opportunity to control the valve himself and HDZ.

What should the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina do? The BiH Prosecutor's Office will probably do nothing again... And the pro-Bosnian side seems powerless...

Bajrović: The pro-Bosnian side is in a position where a group of political idiots has been imposed on them as authorities. Part of the "Trojka" members hate Bosnia and Herzegovina because they consider it an unnatural state framework. This group is divided into those who want us to be under Croatia's patronage, and those who want us to return under Belgrade's wing and some new Yugoslavia.

They rarely express such views publicly because they know that the people want nothing but an independent and sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina. If they thought they had the strength for it, that part of the "Trojka" would have long ago renewed the work of Narodna uzdanica and Gajret. However, they now act as a well-networked anti-Bosniak and anti-Bosnian minority that has infiltrated the system deeply.

They have placed their people from the Islamic Community, through the media, to the ruling parties. What unites them is the desire for Bosnia not to exist and for them to be able to freely express themselves as political Croats or Yugoslavs. Hence the attacks on the freedom of people to declare themselves as they feel – Bosniaks.

The other, larger part of the "Trojka" members are simply immature individuals detached from their personalities. These are people who pinch themselves on the cheeks every day because they can't believe they are where they are. To my regret, I know a good portion of these people personally and am completely convinced that they are delighted every time they see their picture published in the media from a meeting.

This group of accidental passers-by without real references includes Dino Konaković, Sabina Ćudić, Denis Bećirović, Ramo Isak, and the like. They simply do not understand the consequences of their career safari. But they are in a position like someone who pretended to be a surgeon for years but refused to operate on patients because they knew the consequences would be catastrophic.

However, it is now becoming clear to them too that they have made huge mistakes out of ignorance. Sabina Ćudić even admitted yesterday that this is the case, although she has not yet apologized deeply and asked to stop lying and accept responsibility for the terrible consequences of her narcissism for the state.

Therefore, the pro-Bosnian side is powerless because the "Trojka" was imposed to be powerless.

At the end of this conversation, how do you view Siniša Karan's victory? The opposition in RS spoke at length about expecting Branko Blanuša's triumph. Can this also reflect projections for the upcoming General Elections in October, or the renewed dominance of SNSD?

Bajrović: Karan won with a very small overall margin. His result is an indicator that the race for the BiH Presidency member from the Serb people will be very uncertain. Salvation for SNSD will not be the candidacy of someone from the "Trojka" now, because such a decision would certainly harm those parties in the FBiH.

A serious political battle awaits us in that part of BiH, but it is certain that SNSD will be the favorite for the president of the entity, given the system where both Bosniaks and Croats have their candidates.

The opposition from RS should acknowledge the fact that Željka Cvijanović's defeat is their ticket to power and nominate the one who realistically has the greatest chances.

If some Serbian Semir Efendić appears to help Cvijanović, we will know that he is in collusion with SNSD, just as it is known that Efendić is there to help the "Trojka" parties, i.e., Denis Bećirović.