Ivanić: Izetbegović and Čović could have outvoted me, but they left the session

Mladen Ivanić, Chairman of the BiH Presidency, stated that Presidency member Bakir Izetbegović was not in favour of "us deciding whether BiH will file a request for a review and did not wish to make a decision on it. After that, Čović also left the session," Ivanić said, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

- The decision to file a review of the verdict was not made; this was one of the last attempts to return the functioning of BiH to the institutions of the system. Such an agenda carried a risk, and the other two members could have outvoted me - Ivanić said.

Ivanić claims that agent Sakib Softić does not have a mandate and that the decision to file a review of the verdict will further complicate relations.

- I fear that we have entered a very serious crisis with this, and I would say the peak of extra-institutional action. I am not interested in the lawsuit itself at all, because I am convinced that it will very quickly become apparent that it was not legitimate.

Ivanić could not say when or if a session of the BiH Presidency would be held, but he added that he would do everything to ensure the system functions.

- What I expect from the Serb representatives is not to do what Mr. Izetbegović is doing. There was a session, BiH was unable to make a decision on the review of the verdict. I expect the Serb representatives to make a reasonable decision, but to clearly express the political stance that decision-making in BiH cannot be based on the will of only one nation - Ivanić said, adding that the stance of the Serb representatives will be known on Monday after a special session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska.

Ivanić said that he wrote to the International Court of Justice in The Hague in June 2016 and that he will write again to inform them about today's session and its outcome. He also declined to comment on the Peace Implementation Council session but said that he spoke with ambassadors about ten days ago and warned them about this situation.

- It is unrealistic to expect that things will continue as if nothing has happened, but I have no intention of deepening the crisis. If anyone needs to unblock things, it is those who created the blockade. I insisted that decisions be made within institutions - Ivanić said.