Have Konaković, Nikšić, and Forto Understood O'Brien's Speech: Stop Before It's Too Late!

By Amra Vrabac

Just one sentence from the speech of James O'Brien, US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, delivered at the Faculty of Political Science in Sarajevo, prompted the parties of the "Trojka" to hastily issue a statement in which they "wash themselves" of anti-state policies, the reconstruction of the Constitutional Court of BiH, halting the NATO path… Milorad Dodik preempted them in his reaction, having understood what the American diplomat wanted to say before they did.

O’Brien clearly stated in his speech: The Laktaši Agreement is extremely flawed. This put an end to the "Trojka's" attempts to present that paper from Bakinci as a discussion, an idea, or whatever, even though from the first moment it was published in the media, it was clear to everyone what the "Trojka" agreed to at Milorad Dodik's private estate on January 18th.

Even numerous reactions from political actors, the opposition, and even some politicians from the ruling coalition, as well as the clear stance of the US Embassy on that agreement, were not enough for the "Trojka" to clearly articulate its position and distance itself from the Bakinci agreement. And while the head of NIP, Elmedin Konaković, tried to convince us from the TV screen the day after Bakinci that nothing was agreed upon, at the same time, the president of SDP BiH, Nermin Nikšić, published a document containing the corrections proposed by the "Trojka." It is evident that the Viber group where Dino-Neka-Edin communicate daily, as Konaković vividly describes, was not functioning that day.

O’Brien did not need to explain what was wrong with the Laktaši agreement, because simply put, nothing is right. However, this is still not clear to the "Trojka" or its leaders.

In the statement issued by the "Trojka" today, they summarized the visit of NATO officials and the high-ranking American diplomat, focusing only on the Constitutional Court of BiH and cunningly avoiding mentioning the Election Law.

And if O’Brien's entire speech is read carefully, it is clear that the Election Law as proposed by HDZ, and accepted by the "Trojka," about which Dragan Čović informed the public, is not an acceptable solution. Especially not in a way that would amend the Election Law to introduce additional discrimination where the vote of a Croat in five cantons would be worth more and have priority over the vote of any other citizen of BiH. While the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights stand, the "Trojka" has shown readiness to walk on thorns for the sake of Čović, to whom, along with Christian Schmidt, they should be grateful for being part of the government in FBiH and BiH. He often reminds them of this fact. Just so they know that the debt still exists. Dragan Čović's wish list is long, and the "Trojka" has not yet managed to implement it.

The first attempt to wash away sins after Bakinci was a meeting on constitutional changes, to which the "Trojka" invited all parliamentary parties. However, no opposition party wanted to participate, so only partners from HDZ, SNSD, and their satellites responded to the "Trojka's" representatives. And after that meeting, the state minister Staša Košarac (SNSD) warned that the "Trojka" was backing out of the Laktaši agreement. What Košarac announced then as the beginning of the implementation of that agreement happened on Wednesday at the session of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament. The proposal to amend the Election Law of BiH, adopted by the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament at the proposal of SDA, which was one of the theses from the published Laktaši agreement, was rejected.

However, in order for SNSD to show who is in charge in the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament, and for the "Trojka" to take them seriously in the future, SNSD delegates rejected the urgent procedure for adopting the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities. When Kemal Ademović (NIP) requested the Collegium to immediately agree on the procedure, Dragan Čović stated commandingly: "We will not agree today."

BiH is obliged to adopt this law to avoid ending up on the FATF grey list, which will jeopardize business in BiH, the arrival and loss of investors, and thus slow down the economic progress of BiH. It is superfluous to even talk about the assessment of European officials who are writing the progress report on BiH.

The parties of the "Trojka" still have time, but only if they have the sense, to stop on the path of destroying BiH through concessions to Dodik and Čović. What they have given so far could be rectified, but any further step will be fatal for the state, and for Bosniaks.
While looking at themselves in the mirror every morning, they should ask themselves if it is better for everything to stop than to hand everything over to the open enemies of the state of BiH. And that is what O’Brien warned them about.

So, if they do not listen to the citizens and opponents, they should at least listen to those who installed them in power.