Izetbegović: We are trying to form a 'four' like they have a 'three', NES is one of the stronger links

(Patria) - SDA has enough quality staff, it has been involved in what it does for 33 years - pre-war situation, multi-party system, defense of BiH, reforms - 90 percent of that was done by SDA.

If anyone has knowledge, those people are mostly in SDA, it is a force that is omnipresent throughout the territory of BiH, stated SDA President Bakir Izetbegović in the evening Dnevnik D of Federal Television.

SDA is a true, strong party

Commenting on the recently held SDA Congress, Izetbegović said that he was the only candidate because it was in accordance with the Statute, and the opposing candidate received ephemeral support from the field.

- Šemsudin Mehmedović did not meet the conditions. All regional and cantonal committees nominated me, as did the Brčko District.

A minority of municipal organizations that do not even have councilors in municipal councils nominated Mehmedović. He received support that he should reflect on, it's about a few percent - says Izetbegović.

When asked if it is true that the rules were changed on the fly, as Mehmedović claims, he answers:

"A person has to say something when they experience something like this. No regional or cantonal committee nominated him.

Only a few municipalities, and with fake stamps - for example, he is nominated by a person who is not even in SDA. That stamp has not been used for 20 years. He has to blame the other side".

When asked how the situation with Mehmedović, as well as the withdrawal of candidacies for vice-presidents Adil Osmanović and Safet Softić, affected the events within SDA, Izetbegović says:

"That is a marginal matter. As for Softić - he assessed that he had no chance of passing, and that's all. Osmanović said about a month ago that he was slowly losing his position in SDA - those are the reasons.

He attended 133 Collegium sessions with us and never said anything of what we are hearing these days in the media".

Izetbegović claims that Mehmedović wants to get closer to the foreigners with his statements, like the 'Trojka' (Trio), to 'show that he is more cooperative than Izetbegović'.

- He never said such things when he should have. As the 'Trojka' got closer to the Serbian, Croatian side, the foreigners, he also offered himself in such a way.

He probably calculated that SDA lost the elections, that the foreigners do not want Izetbegović, that this is some chance to succeed with such policies, but he was greatly mistaken. SDA showed that it has character, that it has political sovereignty, it is a true, strong party".

Servile and unprincipled things

He also says that he is not surprised that Šefik Džaferović was not elected vice-president of the party.

- He did nothing to be elected. He completely gave up. He counted on the people loving him, on people valuing him, and he did not lobby, while all the others did, as is done in politics.

Džaferović did not make a single phone call. He was mistaken there. He was short of three votes. He had a difficult mandate which he finished with an operation. So that also contributed. I am counting on him, of course - adds Izetbegović.

He reiterated his stance that the 'Trojka' did servile and unprincipled things.

- I predicted that when it was necessary to make big concessions, they would give up. They feel that their public image is declining, that they will lose the next elections, and now they will start to slow down regarding what they promised Čović and Dodik.

They delivered a lot. The people recognized the servility, the running to Laktaši, wherever they are invited. They betrayed their own principles, their pride, they betrayed the pride of their own voters.

They handed over some positions to SNSD and HDZ so that they would give them enough votes in the House of Peoples of the Federation from the Serb caucus. And then they continued with trades, mostly at the expense of Bosniaks.

The entire construction of roads and highways in FBiH has been handed over to HDZ. You will see that the number of Bosniaks in positions will continue to decline. They were ready to change the Constitution for a day.

Now they will give up

They kept handing things over until they took their positions. They gave back the mine in Banovići to Kukić, and he is on the American black list. They voted for people on the black list to enter the government.

They took power, and now things will become more difficult to resolve. They will be less and less willing to accommodate SNSD and HDZ, and this will slowly lead to a blockade - says the SDA leader.

He also touched upon the Election Law and the Law on the Constitutional Court of BiH.

- They intended to resolve it. But after such public resistance, they will give up and start to slow down. They could amend the Constitution in terms of ethnic prefixes.

For that, they need a two-thirds majority, and after that, it's not about the Constitution, then they can change the election law by a simple majority.

I think they were ready for that, they promised it, and they will start to avoid it because they saw the public reaction. The situation is similar with state property.

They can treat the state by saying - a municipality is also part of the state, we will transfer all property related to its competencies to it, to divide the property between the levels.

Things were moving in that direction, but now they will give up. They see huge public resistance - states Izetbegović.

He also explained the situation regarding the formation of government in HNK:

"HDZ enters this story with 11 representatives. SDA with 7, and SDP with 3. Out of 6 Bosniak ministerial positions, SDA should get two-thirds.

Will it be someone from NES, because we are forming a coalition... We are trying to form a 'four', like they have a 'three'. NES is one of the stronger links, SDP should not be concerned with that.

I have left that to the cantonal leadership. We will have some meetings with NES in the coming days".