Konaković: HDZ BiH will have to decide which side to take, I will also talk with Grlić Radman

(Patria) - At today's emergency session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, deputies voted against the dismissal of Elmedin Konaković from the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, which was an initiative of the SNSD, whose deputies did not appear because they do not want to participate in the work until the Collegium of the House is filled after the dismissal of Nebojša Radmanović.

After the parliamentary session, Konaković reiterated to the media that the SNSD is an unacceptable partner, especially when it comes to BiH's European path, and that the HDZ will soon have to decide which side to choose regarding the government at the state level.

Konaković said that the dismissals in the Council of Ministers of BiH came as a result of the policies of the SNSD and Milorad Dodik, who is at the head of that party. He added that Dodik does not care at all about the interests of citizens.

“It is even better for this Council of Ministers of BiH to collapse, which has been insufficiently active in the past year due to the blockades by the SNSD. Deadlines are ahead of us, Europe has little patience left, the great opportunity for approaching those famous funds and investments, and the retention of young people are on the table, and we are listening to the president of the SNSD who says he will not allow BiH to get there. So those ministers from the SNSD should look for the culprit in their president who brought us into this situation, however, I am not so pessimistic, I see several possible ways out of this situation. Here, pro-European forces have taken the initiative, for now they are leading the processes and I am convinced that they will bring them to an end,” stated Konaković.

He then listed the ways out of this situation that he considers.

“The way out is to continue with the dismissals of SNSD personnel, to adopt what is being blocked in the Council of Ministers of BiH in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, and of course to adopt it in the House of Peoples where the SNSD can illegally block processes, but that cannot last forever because each such blockade lasted only a certain time. With such concrete solutions from the Appellate Division of the Court of BiH, the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council which could soon enter the procedure and pass at least the first reading, with the possible option of electing a chief negotiator through the House of Representatives in the Parliament of BiH. I am bringing fresh information from the EU and they view it in a positive light, and then if in the end someone assesses, even the HDZ, that Milorad Dodik should be protected at the expense of European perspectives, let them come out and tell us that clearly,” said Konaković.

Konaković was asked whether Čović could be “forced” in some way to reconstruct the state government?

“I have the impression that this does not need special explanation because on one side you have 19 people who are pro-European oriented and are on the track of those European perspectives. The HDZ, which in that case would be 23 in this new parliamentary majority in the House of Representatives, and in the House of Peoples you saw in the votes that they are people on the same wavelength. And I will have an official meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia in Munich, I am going there on Friday for a big conference and I will have a series of other meetings with ministers and European ministers where we will clarify this situation. Let me note, I had one such meeting with all the ambassadors of EU member states plus the USA, Great Britain, Turkey, and Japan. And I already saw understanding there and I can say even enthusiasm for possible solutions that are legal and lawful. On that path, one man stands in our way – Milorad Dodik and the SNSD with a possible illegal blockade in the House of Peoples by breaking the quorum. And I think that is a sign that shows that this side nevertheless knows what it is doing and is leading the processes, so I hope we will resolve this situation soon,” he asserted.

However, the opposition from Republika Srpska, with which the Troika plans to govern, voted for Konaković's dismissal today in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH. Konaković emphasizes that he respects that principled stance.

“I prefer when someone is principled in their positions and votes for my dismissal, but advocates for the European path, rather than someone supporting me and organizing meetings and lunches to discuss me staying in this position, while trampling on their principles every day. I said that from the start today – my position will never be a subject of any political trade. I prefer people who today principledly voted for my dismissal and I am ready to move forward with them because of what they advocate for regarding the future of BiH when it comes to the European path, but most importantly, peace and stability in BiH because they understood that Dodik is ready for a scenario that leads us into conflict for personal interests and the hundreds of millions he took from people in the RS. This is much more important than my position, I have no problem that the opposition voted for my dismissal today and I am ready to work with them further, whether in the position of minister or some other,” Konaković stated.

He said that the position of the HDZ will be crucial in the coming period.

"In the end, we will come to the point where the HDZ will have to choose a side. We have correct relations with the HDZ, we have no misunderstandings, but we are not ready to sacrifice BiH's EU path for the sake of their good relations with Dodik. Let everyone decide which path they want to take. I can rightly say that this is now a small unexpected revolution and an opportunity that BiH rarely has. People from the RS and the Federation of BiH are ready to embark on a serious process. The SNSD is not a reliable partner to anyone and stands in the way of the people in BiH and we must not back down from that struggle. Once again I repeat, they are not a partner for us, we do not count on the SNSD, they cheat, they do not keep their word, and it can no longer be like that,” concluded Konaković, stating that he will come to every meeting, both with the HDZ and the SNSD, for the sake of the interests of the state, but only to reiterate to Dodik his stance that he does not want a coalition with him because, as he added, he has deceived coalition partners many times on that path.