Bećirović: Radončić has taken on enormous responsibility, Izetbegović enters calmer waters

Director of the International Institute for Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) Ljubljana, MSc Zijad Bećirović, commented for the Patria news agency on today's signing of the coalition agreement between the SDA and SBB.

- With the coalition agreement between the SDA and SBB, the president of the SBB has taken on enormous responsibility for the future functioning of the government in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is significant that the agreement applies to all levels of government in BiH. Expectations are that the president of the SBB, Fahrudin Radončić, will actively participate in the executive branch. In my opinion, he would best lead the Federal Government. Bearing in mind that a point regarding NATO accession has been signed, I believe that the position of Minister of Defence for the president of the SBB would be a challenge, not only for this agreement between the two parties, but also for him personally.

Bakir Izetbegović now enters the continuation of the story called government more calmly. By signing the agreement, he has finally secured a position that allows him to focus on leading the state and the party. If the SBB leader ensures that BiH gets moving from a standstill, then he has a real chance that all the good things will be attributed precisely to him, which will strengthen him and his party for the local and next general elections.

The question arises as to how the engagement of the SBB leader in the executive branch will be ensured when speculation about an investigation against him before the BiH Prosecutor's Office has been ongoing for a year. I believe that all deadlines for these stories have expired and that the Prosecutor's Office must urgently be brought within the framework of BiH law. The case of Naser Orić is the best example of how the Prosecutor's Office should not operate, because it kept an investigation in a drawer for 10 years, which is a violation of all laws and international conventions. Abuse of the prosecutor's office must not be allowed, especially when it comes to individuals who can or should lead the state of BiH - Bećirović points out.

Bećirović also commented on the fact that it is increasingly emphasized that Dragan Čović is most responsible for this agreement.

- Izetbegović and Radončić signed the agreement and that is their decision. Dragan Čović will ultimately be the biggest loser, not because he engages in internal scheming and blackmail, but because he is working on the formation of a third entity. He will suffer the fate of all those who worked on the formation of 'HR-HB'. The Americans signed the Washington Agreement and Dragan Čović cannot change that. It would be better for him to sincerely support reforms in BiH and BiH's path towards NATO and the EU - Bećirović concludes.