Fabricators and Distorters of Reality

Do you know anyone who voted for ŠDŽ? Of course you don't... because the man is so unconvincing that even his closest relatives were skeptical he would be successful in the role of guardian of the seat until the next elections, when BI should once again place his highly respected and irreplaceable backside in it. But isn't the reason for forming only the so-called Presidency among all state institutions, while all others are on hold for one reason or another, hidden in this very bush? Or is there more truth to the claim that state institutions are important only as much as the state is in them? Or, perhaps, the most important thing of all state matters has already been done: a bunch of idlers and unimaginably unnecessary and meaningless people are receiving astronomical salaries. Idleness need not even be mentioned here, because even when they are in full session, appointed and nominated, having taken oaths and God knows what else they give to take... none of that obliges them to any work, and therefore, they do not work.

Thus, the positions that were "cemented" almost a quarter of a century ago were merely confirmed yesterday, and the indicated personnel solutions only confirm this. Nothing of what was said, written, and signed is new, surprising, or unexpected... on the contrary! Likewise, nothing of what was signed is positive, but it is inevitable because it represents the conscious, albeit controlled and precisely directed/guided, will of the voters... On the other hand, as much as it (doesn't) represent a victory for the ethno-national masters of reality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, because, in essence, nothing changes / everything remains the same, it represents a significant defeat for everything civic and normal in this country. 

However, after yesterday's signing of the "agreement" by three ethno-national parties (winners of the 2018 elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina) or the "Principles for forming government at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina," it is even less – if that is even possible – clear why it took a full ten months to form the government at the state level. Bosnia and Herzegovina's path to NATO was written off back in March 2018 when BI agreed to a new foreign policy strategy in which NATO membership is not mentioned anywhere. Formally, the justification was that it was a time-limited strategy within which membership was neither likely, let alone possible, and therefore, there was no reason to mention it. In fact, it is about abandoning the 2003 decision on NATO membership as a strategic goal of BiH; a potential referendum on NATO in BiH could result in a repeat of 1992, and I hope no one is thinking of that... When SČ stated this same thing some time ago, it was almost enough to burn her alive in the central city square. Fortunately, Sarajevo doesn't have squares, so SČ narrowly escaped.

Power is too serious a matter to be entrusted to a bunch of uninformed and uninterested fools. Moreover, I am not referring to self-proclaimed politicians but to voters. Therefore, it is obvious that someone takes good care to win elections and power even before going to the polls. And that has been done... This, of course, adds another question mark and exclamation point to the end of the question: why the long wait?!

A brief factual-historiographical review.

In March of this year, it was announced that positional combinations would move along lines where "HDZ BiH leader DČ is ready to give up the ministries of finance and defense in exchange for taking over foreign affairs, as well as very profitable civilian affairs and security. By taking over state finances, BI would heal Bosniak frustrations, and by appointing a Minister of Justice, it would correct the imbalance in the domestic judiciary. In addition, it should not be forgotten that entity and state ministers of finance are also members of the Management Board of the Indirect Taxation Authority and decide on the distribution of funds from collected VAT. To obtain the state Ministry of Finance, BI had to give up the attractive Ministry of Civil Affairs as well as the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which, along with Tegeltija at the head of the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Defense, had already been 'reserved' by MD. The Ministry of Refugees and Displaced Persons was also reserved for SDA. And finally, the Croatian pillar DČ paranoically insisted on his man heading the state Ministry of Foreign Affairs because, 'Croats do not have their legitimate member of the BiH Presidency, so by enthroning their head of diplomacy, HDZ BiH could at least somehow influence the external promotion of the Croatian people.'“

As things stand now – nothing, and especially not the firm word and character of the signatories – guarantees that this will remain the case even until the 30-day deadline expires, let alone afterwards. SNSD got everything MD asked for: the position of chairman of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, and the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and will also delegate a candidate for the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees. HDZ BiH also got three ministries: finance, justice, and civil affairs. SDA got the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SBB got the Ministry of Security, and DF (in addition to the member of the Presidency) also got the Ministry of Defense. So much for the positions; I'd rather not talk about personnel solutions... I feel a bit sick.

It wasn't that long ago – anyone who makes a little effort could remember – when he was asked why so many concessions were being made to HDZ: a third of the power in the state and more than half of the power in the FBiH, to which he contemptuously replied that HDZ had received nothing that was not rightfully theirs. Then, somewhat later, he changed his mind and retreated, saying that those who had not received anything that was not rightfully theirs – had received it after all – and that it was high time that we (?) also received something... Then he lost everything, and declared what was left as a gain, but that should be a completely different topic, but it isn't.

The spin is underway, and from the initial statements from all sides, it can be concluded that the representatives of Bosniaks and Serbs signed completely different documents, and that only Croats signed both.

However, the facts are relentless: after the handover of the House of Peoples of the BiH PA to SNSD and HDZ (through the election of delegates to the NSRS and cantonal and FBiH parliaments), and after the division of ministries at the state level where SNSD and HDZ received everything they asked for – and the division at the federal level is yet to follow – and after they received what was recently ultimatively rejected as an anti-civilizational (legitimate representation) and anti-state act (abandoning Euro-Atlantic integration)... I wonder how SDA, which had the chairman of the Council of Ministers and three ministries after the last elections, will turn its obvious defeat into a victory. Unless it compensates for all this by abolishing the name and existence of RS... Of course, I don't mean Republika Srpska, but Republika Sarajevo.