Croatian Democratic Union: Consolidating Croatian Ranks in a Few Municipalities

The request by the Bosniak Club in the House of Peoples of the State Parliament for the Constitutional Court of BiH to rule on the HDZ's proposed amendments to the Election Law of BiH was called an attack on Croats by top HDZ officials.

Media under strong HDZ influence have been explaining to readers for days how Bosniaks do not allow Croats to choose their own representatives in government. It is the force of the larger over the smaller.

The survival guide for Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina also states that it is precisely because of such things that it is important to vote for the HDZ.  It turns out that no one can protect Croats except the HDZ and Dragan Čović. Every other political option must be rejected today.

The essence of the HDZ's vision of the new Election Law in BiH is that the member of the BiH Presidency from the Croatian people can only be elected by Croats from western Herzegovina, or where the HDZ now has absolute dominance. The votes of Croats from Bosnia, such as Sarajevo Croats, or Croats from, say, Kakanj, Vareš, Tuzla would have no value. The Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency would be elected by Bosniaks from, for example, Sarajevo, while the votes of Bosniaks from Stolac would be worth as much as Croatian votes from Sarajevo. So, both Croatian votes from Sarajevo and Bosniak votes from Stolac would be worth as much as the Serbian dinar in the center of Berlin.

What the HDZ BiH is seeking through amendments to the Election Law is nothing other than ghettoization. With the amendment of the Election Law of BiH according to Dragan Čović's model, the three peoples in BiH would definitely be separated both formally and legally. And isolating one people from the rest of society has never done anyone any good. Except for those who manage such a ghetto. Through the method of fear, blackmail, and pressure, the HDZ BiH would have absolute control over the Croats of western Herzegovina. This could ultimately be the main goal of the HDZ's recent upheavals regarding the Election Law. The Catholic Church in BiH also warns about this, but in this case, no one can hear it.

The ghettoization is obvious. According to the 1991 census, which was highlighted by some Bosnian Croats who were in favor of BiH, western Herzegovina represented a minority of 17 percent in the Croatian corpus, while Bosnian Croats made up 83 percent in BiH. There is no need to even mention the current situation.   

It is indicative that no one even talks about the fact that the proposed amendments to the Law violate basic human rights. For example, if the HDZ's proposal were adopted, Croats from Bosnia could quite legitimately seek a review of the constitutionality of such an Election Law, because then their votes would be discriminated against compared to the votes of Croats from Herzegovina. Why did the HDZ propose a law that does not ensure equal rights for all citizens in BiH? Is all this a big show for the public, while the most valuable riches in the country are being plundered and wealth is being distributed and dealt very individually and least nationally?

It seems incredible that one's own nation wants to be treated regionally unequally. Although rare, that is why the voices of protest of Bosnian Croats against this proposal to rape the Election Law are heard.

In just the last few months, Europe has shown through elections in the Netherlands, Austria, and France that it wants openness and unity in its diversity. How is it possible that the crudest ethnic divisions are now being imposed on Bosnia and Herzegovina? How will we enter Europe in such a torn suit, with schizophrenic policies and national atavisms?

It is interesting that some politicians from the BiH entity of Republika Srpska are also on the HDZ's wavelength. SDS's Ognjen Tadić, who comes from an entity where not even all Serbs have equal individual or national rights, generously offers advice for resolving the crisis in the Federation. Give the HDZ whatever it asks for, so they don't unite with the enemy. If the Federation starts looking up to the RS, hold on tight, we're taking off into the unknown.

With one more remark. The amendment of the Election Law primarily implied a discussion on amendments to the BiH Constitution. Even legal laymen know that any amendments to the Election Law primarily entail amendments to the Constitution. In a complete breakdown of political reason, an opinion was sought from the Constitutional Court on the Croatian proposal to amend the Election Law. They didn't aim, but the ricochet hit the right target.