MEP Selimović: Division of BiH along ethnic lines has no support in the European Parliament

No matter how federalism in Bosnia and Herzegovina is conceived, it will come to nothing, says European Parliament member Jasenko Selimović for the Patria news agency, after the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament on Tuesday afternoon voted on the proposed Resolution on the progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Resolution calls for changes necessary to create a functional state to be implemented with respect for the principles of decentralisation and full equality of constituent peoples and citizens in the country, and in one place the Resolution also mentions the principle of federalism.

The adopted Resolution will now be placed on the agenda of the European Parliament session, planned for February or March.

Asked by a Patria journalist whether the principle of federalism mentioned in the Resolution implies new ethnic divisions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e., the creation of a third entity, Selimović says that „the idea of new ethnic divisions in BiH has no support in the European Parliament.“

- Federalisation in the Bosnian case implies some ethnic division or ethnic federalisation... But, regardless of what is meant by this term, it cannot gain support in the European Parliament. We removed all of that from the Declaration – says Selimović.

- When we voted yesterday in the Foreign Affairs Committee, such amendments had no support. Only in one place is federalisation mentioned, but in very general terms. Amendments calling for the federalisation of BiH, i.e., as a possible model for the future structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina, received no support – adds Selimović.

He explains that even after it is adopted in the European Parliament, the Resolution should be viewed only as a proposal on the path Bosnia and Herzegovina should take. Without domestic authorities, it is not possible to make any changes in BiH.

- The European community demands reforms if BiH wants to join the European Union, but the European community will never impose solutions – says Selimović for Patria.

Asked how many friends BiH has in the European Parliament, Selimović says BiH has many friends.

- We have a group called Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which I lead and which has about 30 members of Parliament. These people work a lot to help Bosnia and Herzegovina. They also worked on this resolution – says Selimović.

Are Croatian MEPs also in that group and what is their stance towards BiH?

- Yes, they are also in that group, but let's be clear, as far as MEPs from Croatia are concerned, this story about federalisation, in reality the creation of a third entity, etc., is important to them, but it has no serious support in Parliament. However, regarding other matters, Croatian MEPs work to help Bosnia and Herzegovina, they help the country, they are friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina in other things – says Selimović.