Consensus tailored to Čović and HDZ is more dangerous than all viruses

By Rasim Belko

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Without a crisis, they are critical; in a crisis, they are manipulative, divided. Simply chaotic. In a word, the government in the Federation of BiH. 

All gathered, tired, sarcastic. Divided and political. 

The interests of completely opposing policies are quite a strong blockade on the institutions of power in the Federation. They have slowed them down and still are.

And these institutions have been the engine driving the Federation for almost six years. We have witnessed how strong and durable that engine is all six years. Especially today.

With the first days of the coronavirus on the soil of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we witnessed some good moves. It seemed that the government in the Federation of BiH was acting responsibly, doing a better job than some governments of European countries that were the foundation of the EU. 

Then, the Crisis Headquarters of the Federation was formed. And soon we witnessed that "too many cooks spoil the broth." 

Already from the first session, the commander of that headquarters, Jelka Milićević, stated, "We will make all decisions by consensus. None will be made differently." In translation, when HDZ officials mention consensus to you, it essentially means chaos. More precisely, chaos. 

The first orders were indeed made by that consensus. But, you know who didn't respect them. HDZ officials in the cantons. Jelka, but also the rest of the Crisis Headquarters of the FBiH, already made the first mistake. They did not react to the non-compliance with the order.

An order, whether someone likes it or not, must be respected and acted upon. Some, like HNK, did so only a few days later. Actually, two hours before the information about the patient at SKB Mostar and the entry of the coronavirus into the healthcare system. 

Another HDZ official in the federal government was not exactly eager to act in accordance with the situation. Vjekoslav Mandić either got lost or was told to get lost. Initially, two press conferences, and then he disappeared from the scene.

The Crisis Headquarters of the Federation, as a package, failed to promptly issue orders for the procurement, primarily of ventilators, and then other medical equipment and protective and disinfection supplies. 

Perhaps in the hope that this would bypass us, they calculated and made a big mistake. Today, we can only pray that the epidemic will bypass cities whose hospitals do not have ventilators. Tests are useless if we don't have ventilators for patients with a more severe clinical picture. They are effectively condemned to the worst outcome. 

However, in all of this, we should not forget the key culprit. I already said, the Crisis Headquarters started well, but stumbled and slowed down at the first obstacle. 

Dragan Čović is again in the main role. His non-governmental association (HNS) and interest group (HDZ) are primarily responsible for why the government in the Federation has not been fully formed. Perhaps some fresh faces in that government would be enough for both the Government and the Crisis Headquarters of the FBiH to act in accordance with the situation. 

We should not forget that the Crisis Headquarters of HNK, under the control of Čović's protégés, refused to send tests to the Clinical Center in Sarajevo. 

On the other hand, in Canton 10, they tried, under the guise of protecting the population, to separate themselves from the system. In fact, they tried to secede one canton. 

Only the Minister of Security of BiH, Fahrudin Radončić, reacted. In a timely and adequate manner. 

As far as I have followed, the Crisis Headquarters of the FBiH did not even make a statement. And it should have. Because the Crisis Headquarters of Canton 10 is a unit within their army. And when a unit tries to break away from the army, the procedure is known. 

Because of that consensus Jelka talked about, the reaction was absent with the first appearance of the virus. 

After everything, the Crisis Headquarters was changed, shortened. Federal Prime Minister Fadil Novalić realized that "too many cooks" do not bring good. In the coming days, we will know what this change brings us. However, what needs to be changed urgently is the decision-making process. 

Otherwise, consensus with the HDZ's interpretation will cost us our lives. 

Because, we all know how much Dragan Čović slows down and endangers the entity of the Federation and the state of BiH with that consensus. 

That consensus of his is dangerous, more dangerous than the dangerous coronavirus and all other viruses.