Bećirović: Dodik is an American man, let them deal with him, constitutional changes are inevitable

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Assistant Professor Zijad Bećirović, PhD, Director of the International Institute for Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) Ljubljana, speaks in an interview for the Patria News Agency about the newly emerged situation in BiH and Dodik's threats, answers the question of whether the red line has been crossed, and whether Dodik's behavior can jeopardize BiH's NATO path.

Patria: How do you describe the newly emerged situation in BiH and the threats of Milorad Dodik, how much can this stop BiH on its path towards the EU, and how much can it accelerate it towards NATO?

Zijad Bećirović: Let's look back, which of Dodik's initiatives has succeeded so far. He regularly suffers a fiasco. It must be acknowledged that he accelerated Bosnia and Herzegovina's path to NATO and showed himself to be state-building, because by adopting the Armed Forces Reform Program of BiH, he gave a strong impetus to BiH's approach to NATO membership. Everything Dodik does mostly stops him himself. As for the EU, it is concerning that the EU constantly sends people who are part of the political-diplomatic-criminal structures of the EU as EU ambassadors to BiH. Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark is part of those structures, we must be cautious also when it comes to the current EU ambassador Johann Sattler. Wigemark was rewarded and is now the EU ambassador to Kosovo, which is a hotbed of (international) crime.

Patria: Are you a person who truly believes that there cannot be new conflicts in BiH and on what do you base that?

Zijad Bećirović: I truly cannot believe it, because that would show great naivety. Given everything that has happened in and concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina, we must be cautious. The circumstances for creating a conflict are somewhat different, but given that two world wars started in Europe, when it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina, unfortunately we must not and cannot rule out anything. One of the main goals of Dodik's policy is the Brčko District. Therefore, it is necessary to call on the international community to pay special attention and take measures, because there are serious indications that unilateral actions by Dodik's regime towards the Brčko District are being prepared. Therefore, NATO should be asked through the Quint to deploy EUFOR forces (one unit) possibly with heavy weapons to thwart Dodik's intentions towards the Brčko District of BiH.
This would calm citizens in the Federation of BiH and cool down radicalization in the Republika Srpska. After that, Montenegro would breathe easier, and Belgrade would get an argument to distance itself from Dodik. Serbian President Vučić already said yesterday that Serbia would not survive another war. US Ambassador Eric Nelson must be aware that if he does not send clear messages, a similar crisis will repeat, but it will be much more difficult to resolve peacefully. We have interesting statements from Serbia, even the advisor to the Chairman of the Presidency Komšić, Čedomir Jovanović, says that Komšić should trust Vučić.

Patria: Has Dodik crossed the red line, even for Serbia, or is all this a "kitchen" from Belgrade?

Zijad Bećirović: Čedomir Jovanović is experienced enough and knows both well and probably has reasons to be able to say something like that. Although there is strong animosity in one part of the public in BiH towards Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, I would ask what would happen if someone else were in his place in Serbia. Nevertheless, Vučić is a factor of peace and stability. Dodik got entangled in a game with a much larger kitchen and its demands, which he cannot fulfill, and he made promises too lightly.

Patria: How do you see the way out and solution to the situation? Is BiH ready for a change of the BiH Constitution, do you share the view of those who say that foreign judges from BiH should and can leave only when BiH joins NATO?

Zijad Bećirović: I will remind you that when foreign judges and prosecutors withdrew from the Court and Prosecutor's Office of BiH, there was a total "provincialization" of these two important judicial bodies. We see in what condition the Court and Prosecutor's Office of BiH are now, they are in a phase of "metastasis" and are (mis)used for the interests of political-criminal structures, and do not work in the interest of citizens and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, it is important to preserve the Constitutional Court of BiH from all these attacks. The Constitutional Court of BiH is a Dayton category, and those who want to destroy the Constitutional Court of BiH say they do not want to destroy Dayton, but in BiH it is said you cannot have both. Dodik is a product of the USA and
let them deal with him. Constitutional changes in BiH are inevitable.