Čović on Blinken's letter: I can only be on an angelic list, I don't want someone from Sarajevo to cut off gas to Posušje

(Patria) - During the session of the HDZ BiH Presidency, which is considering several topics today, the party president Dragan Čović addressed the media. One topic is the current political situation, the second is local elections, and the third is party activities.

"Yesterday's meeting was a replica of one from August, after which we adopted five laws. We had many topics on the agenda yesterday, all aimed at fulfilling all 14 EU conditions and passing them in BiH institutions. So that no one imposes any solutions. I told the High Representative that I see no reason why he should impose any solution if we have an executive authority and a parliamentary majority," said Čović.

He announced that before the arrival of high-ranking EU officials, there should be at least one session of the BiH Council of Ministers, and then another one.

"Adopt the budget, laws, the Election Law," said Čović, stating that the end of February is the deadline by which they can adopt them. He expressed his expectation that they will soon have the federal budget as well.

He spoke about the letter sent by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in which he is accused of corruption.

"It is significant. It concerns a couple of topics, and only one has been communicated to the public. After a visit by a representative of the administration, or rather the ambassador in Sarajevo, to the House of Peoples, when we parted ways after a friendly conversation, he said at the end, 'if you don't do it, I will come out tomorrow and call you out for corruption, for anti-Dayton actions, for overthrowing the government, etc.' And indeed, it came out the next day, only for the same person to ask me ten days later why I hadn't reacted," said Čović, alluding to the letter from US Ambassador Michael Murphy, who announced in the summer that Čović was blocking the Southern Interconnection.

Čović stated that he has a responsibility to his homeland BiH and the people he represents.

"I continue to meet with the US ambassador. The Southern Gas Interconnection is a strategic interest of BiH, and of the Croatian people because it passes through HNK, ZHK, Canton 10, and Central Bosnia, and no one can tell me that it is someone else's interest. The law is already in procedure, and many things have been challenged. We assessed that this law makes no sense. The main dilemma is about BH Gas. I said that just as we have BH Gas, we will have the Southern Interconnection, which will be owned by the FBiH Government. We will continue to push this project, I have no private interest. Just as we have two post offices, two telecoms, two power utilities. Allowing someone else to manage it with different possible strategies, if you will, political ones, I am not naive and I do not want to do something like that," said Čović.

He emphasized that this project requires seven to eight years and a lot of money.

"I do not want to allow someone to close the gas pipeline from Sarajevo to Posušje tomorrow due to a political crisis. Regarding how to organize operators, of course, we take responsibility. I do not want to sell the interests of any citizen to anyone. I can only be on some white list, because it is angelic, not on any black list.

I told Konaković, go ahead and implement it if you can. I had the same conversation with Grlić Radman, who is surprised that someone is writing to Croatia about something in BiH. They all know that influence of that kind will not work on me. I think we must protect our interests to the end," said Čović.

Čović stated that there are no obstructions from his side and that the draft law was sent to the US ambassador two months ago, and whether someone likes it or not is another question.