Izetbegović for HRT: We are doing everything to make Croats, as the smallest nation, feel 'relaxed'

SDA President Bakir Izetbegović was a guest on HRT's Dnevnik, where he spoke about the political situation in BiH, the position of Croats, and the activities of Milorad Dodik. When asked about the secession of Republika Srpska, Izetbegović said that Milorad Dodik has not announced the secession of Republika Srpska from BiH, although he may have such plans.

"He is asking for reforms to be rolled back 20 years. To create a state within a state. For Republika Srpska to be a state within the state of BiH again. There are, of course, solutions for him to abandon this, because it is a 'dead end' from which he will be forced back either by the OHR or the Constitutional Court. I think this is primarily for his pre-election campaign. His goal will be to abolish the judiciary at the level of BiH because he fears that judiciary, with good reason, and to return it to where it is under his control, to the level of Republika Srpska," he said.

Did the High Representative not use his right to dismiss leaders who are undermining the Constitution and BiH, should he have done so?

"The National Assembly of Republika Srpska was very careful about how to position things. They adopted conclusions, not decisions. So, there is still no reason for him to firmly initiate and reserve that last measure for the final activities for which the National Assembly of Republika Srpska tasked the Government. To truly embark on an anti-constitutional and anti-Dayton movement in May and June. If they really start undermining reforms, working against Dayton and the Constitution, then we will have to react."

He added that Dodik constantly insults BiH, insults Bosniaks, sometimes Croats, and insults representatives of the international community.

"He is doing everything to make it a failed story, however, a far more failed part of that story is Republika Srpska."

He also commented on the claims that Serbian separatism and Bosniak unitarism are equally dangerous for the integrity of BiH.

"I don't see it, when it comes to Bosniak unitarism. We are doing everything to make Croats, as the smallest nation, feel 'relaxed'. There are a hundred more important positions at the state level that govern the state and about 200 at the Federation level. Croats have parity. They have 15% in the state and have over 33% of ministerial, director, and other positions. So, out of these 300 important positions, Croats have 46 positions more than what the Constitution guarantees them. And they have this one, Željko Komšić, with whom they are dissatisfied. They have these 46 where they should be satisfied because they received them at the expense of Bosniaks. Bosniaks then have somewhat fewer positions in an effort to make BiH 'likable' to Croats. I don't see any attempt at domination, unitarism, etc. here."

When asked how insisting on a civic model is a violation of Dayton and that Croatia sees it that way, Izetbegović said that these are virtual stories.

"How are you insisting on it? Can you give me an example, where is it? These are virtual stories, in what specific way can it be seen. It doesn't exist. These are actually attacks on Bosniaks, joint attacks with Dodik, because Croats want to change the Constitution and the Election Law so that the BiH Presidency member must be from HDZ. I would like to hear and see an example where there is an attempt at this domination and where there are attempts to impose the civic principle. It is impossible to achieve that in BiH," he said.

When asked if he would agree to the Bosniak member of the Presidency being elected by Croats or some other nation, he said that there have been attempts to help Croats and to relax the situation.

"We were ready twice for this matter. Through the package for which Haris Silajdžić and Božo Ljubić fought, and through direct election which Dragan Čović blocked. It was the SDA's intention to help Croats relax their position through the implementation of the Sejdić-Finci ruling. To give everyone the theoretical right to run, while in reality it would be based on the will of the three constituent peoples, or the majority of voters from those constituent peoples. We are still ready to work on that," said the SDA president.

Official Zagreb supports a whole BiH and the path to the EU, provided that the electoral will of Croats and the three constituent peoples is respected. Is there room for further political discussion on these grounds?

"Absolutely. We were ready twice to accommodate Croatian representatives, with the condition that this time we demand the removal of the blockades that have occurred in the meantime by Croats, namely HDZ and HNS. As I said, we have been suffering a blockade in the Federation for the third year," he said.