Konaković's attempt to present Croatian politics as friendly and Čović's as well-intentioned ends in final fiasco

(Patria) - In just a few days since the US ambassador to BiH Michael Murphy reopened the issue of the Southern Gas Interconnection project, the narrative built by representatives of the Troika, especially NiP leader Elmedin Konaković, that the SDA bears sole responsibility for the long-standing poor relations in the FBiH, thereby absolving the HDZ and Croatia's policy towards BiH, has been completely shattered.

Murphy recently held a meeting with representatives of parliamentary parties in the FBiH, where he insisted that the FBiH Parliament adopt a law on the Southern Gas Interconnection that would designate BH Gas as the holder of this significant project, reports Istraga.ba.

The reopening of this issue prompted the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, during an official visit to BiH, to threaten its disappearance unless the "concept of three constituent peoples prevails," and on the same day to state that the Southern Gas Interconnection passes through Croatian territory in BiH, justifying the HDZ's demands.

Shortly thereafter, the American think tank Heritage Foundation, with whose representatives HDZ member of the European Parliament Željana Zovko held a meeting a few days ago, issued a statement undoubtedly lobbied by Croatia and the HDZ, presenting Murphy's insistence that BH Gas be the project holder as an attempt to enable Muslims to dominate Christians in BiH.

"However, the future of this strategic project is jeopardized by the decades-long and failed nation-building project of the State Department that would force Catholic Croats and Orthodox Serbs to adopt a false Bosnian identity promoted by a hardline Muslim faction in the country that identifies as 'Bosniak.'

The state company BH Gas, based in Sarajevo, which would control the gas pipeline, is exclusively under Muslim control. Bosnian Croats demand that BH Gas be jointly managed while the line passes through their land. Otherwise, Croatia, a NATO member, will certainly block the project," the text states.

To be spared such nonsensical criticism, Murphy was not helped even by the fact that he contributed the most to the amendments to the BiH Election Law and the FBiH Constitution, which permanently strengthened the position of the HDZ and those parties pursuing ethnonational politics in the FBiH.

Nevertheless, with such policies from Zagreb and the HDZ, constant threats and the narrative of a conflict between Christians and Muslims, the Troika has been most humiliated, as it had been convincing the public that responsibility for the HDZ's policies in recent years lies solely with the SDA and DF, and that an agreement with Dragan Čović was possible.

NiP leader Elmedin Konaković led the way in this regard. At the end of 2022, during the struggle over the shape of the future FBiH government, he claimed that not only the public but also the HNS and HDZ were tired of the SDA's frauds and lies, thereby absolving the HDZ's policies.

- He is saving himself, believe me, so that the man (Čović) can breathe. To get a decent partner who doesn't lie, who works in the interest of the state, in the interest of the Federation of BiH, in the interest of the places where the HDZ is the majority, to improve the lives of those people in BiH, those people will breathe, remember…

This process will show, it can somewhat rehabilitate the HDZ and other partners if it turns out that only Izetbegović did not want it. That he alone did not want to talk. That is like him.

From the HDZ we received such a positive performance that they even surpassed us in some ideas we planned to delegate in those talks - Konaković said then.

That was not all. Konaković praised Zagreb as someone giving the greatest support to Sarajevo on its European path.

- I must really emphasize that Croatia and my colleague Grlić Radman are investing great efforts in this, that they have lobbied and are lobbying for the Western Balkans as a whole, but BiH in particular, to join the EU in a shorter period - Konaković said.

While the NiP leader praised Grlić Radman, Zagreb simultaneously lobbied in the US, presenting Bosniaks as a radical faction of Muslims seeking to dominate Christians and working for Russian interests, calling BiH a failed state.

This speaks volumes about how Croatia views BiH's European path, as a mechanism of blackmail for achieving strategic goals in BiH.