Whose Mandate Is It to Defend the State: The European Champion in the Russian Way

By Amina Čorbo Zećo

How senseless Johan Sattler's statement, the head of the EU Delegation, that Dragan Čović is the champion of European integration in Bosnia and Herzegovina is, was proven very quickly by a new move by the Russophile and HDZ president.

As soon as Sattler returned to Sarajevo from Čović's stronghold, a request was sent for Russian forces to come to Mostar!? The promoter of European values and the Russian player in the background, in the style of Milorad Dodik, requested the intervention of a Russian team in the hospital in Mostar. Bypassing institutions, Čović addressed the Embassy of the Russian Federation, and the embassy requested permission from the authorities.

The wind in Čović's sails, given by Sattler and former High Representative in BiH Miroslav Lajčak, with whom he has intensified contacts, cannot in any way be a reason to attack the sovereignty of BiH to fulfill the wishes of the Herzegovinian potentate.

However, what kind of response did we get from the competent institutions to the possible entry of a Russian military convoy?

Bisera Turković, Minister of Foreign Affairs, requested an opinion from Sifet Podžić, Minister of Defence, and Fahrudin Radončić, Minister of Security of BiH, and in that chain, we learned all sorts of things except that no one did their job. If this is not a security issue, then I don't know what is.

How is it possible that Čović, as the Speaker of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament, reacted without the Collegium, and how can he send letters as he pleases. He can, because there has not yet been the readiness or political will to stop him. He is certainly given wind in his sails by the encouragement of international European diplomats.

We will remember Lars Gunnar Wigemark, the former head of the EU Delegation, and grape picking in the vineyard with Čović. Where this one stopped, Sattler continued. In Brussels, Lajčak covers his back on the Russian path. And we in BiH are condemned to the petty gains of so-called politicians who, apart from dividing public money, know no other way.

The BiH Presidency is also silent; if you want a statement, they will offer you a series of nonsensical explanations. Who doesn't want to offend whom here. Has the line been crossed where we can no longer go back? Dodik and Čović daily serve us evidence that they have their piece of the sky, their 'state', while Bosniaks and Bosnians scramble for donations!

Corona came, corruption is still here, no one has jurisdiction for anything, but also no responsibility, and when it comes to defending personal interests, we often have - transfer of competencies...

The only question is when the people will finally experience a transfer and show the rulers that they are actually our servants. I fear it will be too late, because while Dodik and Čović do as they please with the silence of the third party, there is less and less of the state.