Who and why is Milanović deceiving: We did not ban imports, milk from BiH under quality check

Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović stated in Split that Croatia has not banned the import of milk from Bosnia and Herzegovina and that it is a matter of the need to check the quality of that milk, reports the news agency Patria.

“No, we did not ban the import of milk, but we intervened, it is a temporary measure. We did this because we believe it is correct and responsible to check the quality of the goods being exported from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union, in practice mostly to Croatia,” said Milanović in response.

Milanović stated that Croatia will insist on compliance with procedures regarding the import of milk from BiH.

“We will not stall and act to the detriment of milk exporters from BiH, but when the full procedure is followed, we will insist on it. There are rights but also obligations – you cannot take one without the other – this must be understood in BiH. I see that ethnic differences do not play much of a role when money is involved, but Croatia is our country, we respect others, but these are our interests,” emphasized Milanović.

According to his words, four dairies in BiH have technically qualified to export to the EU, and this is one of the rights that BiH has in the asymmetric system of preferences as a trading partner and a less developed country in the process of stabilization and association.

Milanović also points out that BiH is obliged to grant Croatia so-called traditional trade quotas, just as Croatia behaved ten years ago towards Slovenia when that country entered the EU, while Croatia was not yet an EU member at that time.

Emphasizing that as Prime Minister of Croatia he is responsible for the well-being of Croatian companies and speaking about the so-called traditional trade quota, he stressed that this is a right that BiH should grant to the European Union, i.e., in practice to Croatian companies that have traditionally exported Croatian products to BiH.

„Bosnia and Herzegovina has been stalling on this for a year and a half, and it is time to say so,“ said Milanović.

Croatia is, he says, ready to help those weaker than itself, not only because half a million Croats live in BiH, who hold both Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian citizenship, but also “for the interests and well-being of Croatian exporters who produce in Croatia, where Croatian jobs are and where taxes are paid,” writes Jutarnji.