Croatia Officially Divides BiH and Discriminates Against Bosniaks

By Sead Omeragić

The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Croatia, on its official pages, provides information about countries with which Croatia has reciprocity in the sale of real estate. Simply put, if a citizen wants to buy property on the Croatian coast, it must be possible for someone from Croatia to buy property of approximately equal value in the country of that potential buyer.

Reciprocity for the purchase of real estate in Croatia also exists with Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Kosovo. Reciprocity also exists for BiH, but completely differently towards the two entities. 

For the Federation, there is reciprocity, with the condition that natural persons permanently reside and conduct permitted activities, and legal entities if they conduct activities in the Republic of Croatia. Similarly, reciprocity exists for the Brčko District, under the same conditions as for the Federation. 

However, when it comes to Republika Srpska, reciprocity for acquiring ownership rights over real estate with Croatia exists, and this is emphasized - without any restrictions. This means that individuals from RS have an unlimited right to buy real estate in Croatia. On the other hand, if someone from the Federation is able and wishes to buy real estate in Croatia, they will have all the chances if they register as living in RS.   

Many will say that this is not much of a right, as only a few wealthy individuals can exercise it. But, it is about principles and a very poor treatment of the state of BiH and only one nation. One must ask what right Croatia has to treat the rights of the two entities differently. To restrict the rights of some while enabling others. 

Many will place this issue of reciprocity without restrictions in the context of the mass sale of property by exiled Serbs who settled in RS. But, that is not the true essence of this relationship. In many cases, Croatia regularly closes its doors to Bosniaks, while maintaining very close relations with the Republika Srpska entity. 

This is a matter of obvious discrimination that the Republic of Croatia shows towards Bosniaks. Namely, if there is reciprocity in the purchase of real estate towards the Federation, Croatia has thereby only restricted the rights of Bosniaks, because all Croats in BiH have the right to dual citizenship, which allows them all the possibilities in Croatia that Croatian citizens have. 

These facts are officially published by a state ministry, thereby brutally interfering in the relations within Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is not known that there is different treatment of regions within a certain country regarding reciprocity, except when Croatia treats BiH and its entities. The question is whether international law permits such a thing. It is evident that everything is being done by our neighbors in the name of dividing this country.

This is proven in dozens of examples of relations towards BiH. The latest completely unfounded and fabricated attacks on Sarajevo and Bosniaks after the arrests in Orašje show that, unfortunately, on the other side, towards BiH and Bosniaks, there is a completely insincere relationship filled with double standards. 

These details once again confirm the narrative that certain peoples in BiH are being majorized, endangered, and deprived of rights compared to the other two peoples.