Izetbegović on Dodik's visit to Zagreb: Doubts about a new Serb-Croat agreement

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – SDA President Bakir Izetbegović also commented on the visit of Milorad Dodik to Andrej Plenković and Zoran Milanović, the Prime Minister and President of Croatia.

He stated that the policy Dodik embodies is one of destabilization, division, secessionism, hindering BiH on its Euro-Atlantic path, stifling and slowing down the work of the Council of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, insulting Croats and Bosniaks whom he recently called Ustaše and Balijas, and ignoring their right to legitimate representatives in the structure of power of the RS entity.

“Dodik is also a member of the Presidency of BiH. He is not the chairman. That is Šefik Džaferović. He represents BiH at this moment. His policy, unlike Milorad Dodik's policy, is stabilizing and reformist. Bosniaks and Croats live mixed in BiH. Croatia and BiH should have exchanged official visits. Milanović was invited by BiH for an official visit. Inviting Dodik, bypassing Džaferović, is a very bad message. To some extent, it confirms the stories about some new cooperation between Serbs and Croats at the expense of Bosniaks. It is support for the policy Dodik represents. It is a message of disrespect for BiH, its representatives, and its hierarchy. In any case, we will see what the conclusions will be and whether they will deny or relativize anything of this,” said Izetbegović.

When asked about the visit of BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik to Zagreb, Izetbegović said that there are doubts about a new Serb-Croat agreement.

“Yesterday, Mr. Milanović called me and I told him all these same things, but he does not agree. He believes that one should talk, that solutions can only be achieved through dialogue. He also invited me to visit him. And Mr. Plenković invited me to visit him. We will see what messages will come from these meetings today, and then I will decide whether to go on these visits,” said Izetbegović.