Čović reveals his hand: Ministry for Veterans' Affairs to be split between Army of RBiH and HVO!

Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) BiH, Dragan Čović announced the merging of the federal ministries of education and culture and sport into one ministry.

- At the same time, we will proceed with splitting the ministry of energy, mining and industry into two ministries, in order to satisfy the constitutional provisions, Čović stated in an interview for HRT KISS, reports the Patria News Agency.

When asked about criticism from some veterans' associations that HDZ BiH did not receive the Ministry for Veterans' Affairs in the distribution of federal ministries, Čović replied that at the very first sessions of the FBiH Government, it will be decided to establish two sectors within this ministry, one for the Army of RBiH and the other for the HVO.

He also added that "all illegal veteran reviews will be annulled." Speaking about the goals of the ruling coalition, Čović emphasized that three priorities have been agreed upon with SDA.

- The first is the urgent adoption of the budget, which must be determined by the end of the month. The second priority this year is the change of the election law, which would also implement the court decision on the change of the Statute of the City of Mostar, so that the citizens of Mostar can also vote in the upcoming local elections in 2016.

The third priority is the annulment of all illegal appointments of directors and board members that Nikšić's government made in recent months, said Čović, also announcing legal changes that would strip assistant ministers at the state and federal levels of their status as civil servants.

The Croatian member of the BiH Presidency and president of HDZ BiH believes that these steps will create an environment of trust among coalition partners, which could also bring a positive atmosphere for constitutional changes next year.

In an interview for HRT KISS, Čović also said that he has a good relationship with the new Croatian president, Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, just as he had with her predecessor, Ivo Josipović.

He assessed the overall international environment as positive and noted that the recently adopted declaration of the Croatian National Assembly (HNS) should open a broader discussion on the topic of restructuring BiH towards the principled federalization of the country.

- This is not a story that divides BiH, but a story that is the only salvation for Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Čović.