Komšić received Orepić: Open issues between BiH and Croatia to be resolved through dialogue

(Patria) - Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željko Komšić received Member of Parliament of the Republic of Croatia and President of the Nova politika party Vlaho Orepić. The interlocutors discussed a number of open issues between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia. The need to resume talks between the members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as an institution with constitutional authority to conduct foreign policy, and high-ranking officials of the Republic of Croatia was particularly emphasized, in order to resolve open issues between the two countries, with an emphasis on resolving the maritime border demarcation.

The need for dialogue and agreed-upon resolution of this, as well as all other open issues in the relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia, was highlighted. The interlocutors agreed on the fact that the Republic of Croatia has an undeniable right to connect parts of its territory through the construction of the Pelješac Bridge, but with the necessity of resolving the maritime border demarcation between the two sovereign and friendly states, i.e., respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and without jeopardizing all rights belonging to it under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In addition to the above, the meeting also discussed other open issues between the two countries, such as the issue of the border on the Una River, the use of the Buško Jezero reservoir, the issue of potential disposal of radioactive waste near the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Trgovska Gora location in the Republic of Croatia, and the issue of unreturned property of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republic of Croatia. Also, the meeting discussed Bosnia and Herzegovina's NATO perspective, as well as the need for cooperation on security issues for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia, such as the migrant crisis.

The meeting also addressed the position of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, their return to Republika Srpska, as well as the problem of young people leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina. The problem of the cessation of production at the "Aluminij" smelter in Mostar and all the consequences of the production shutdown were also discussed. The meeting was also attended by the President of the Croatian National Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mario Pejić and Management Board member Marinko Pejić.