Lavić: New sanctions 'hang over' Dodik because he didn't fulfill all promises, the US will preserve BiH's sovereignty

(Patria) - Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo, Senadin Lavić, was a guest today on the show 'DDBiH' on Hayat television, and among other things, he spoke about the session of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), which will discuss the appointment of a new High Representative for BiH.

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U zgradi Parlamentarne skupštine Bosne i Hercegovine počelo je dvodnevno redovno zasjedanje Upravnog odbora Vijeća za implementaciju mira (PIC).

Analyzing the comments and speculations present in the media about a kind of "cold diplomatic war" being waged between the US and Italy, on one side, and a group of other European countries, on the other, regarding the name that will lead the PIC in the coming period, Lavić said he supports the candidate preferred by the US, because he believes they are legalists.

- The moment has come to get an answer to the question of who will be the High Representative in Sarajevo instead of Christian Schmidt.

I think this is an important moment in terms of preparing a new direction for the Office of the High Representative (OHR) that should help BiH emerge from this frozen state, from some transitional fog and haze.

It should also move closer to a clear concept or path of EU accession, and even more importantly - NATO, perhaps even by the end of this year, so that Bosnia and Herzegovina is incorporated into some important NATO structures - Lavić points out.

He said he joins the US request that Antonio Zanardi Landi be the new High Representative, and added that he believes the US can, as they did in 1994 and 1995, significantly redirect these past 25-30 years of uncertainty and European indecisiveness towards BiH.

- To be clear, Europe, unfortunately, has not shown a clear vision or clear orientation towards the OHR and BiH, but rather it has always been about some minor interests.

I have no doubt at all that the US will preserve Bosnia and Herzegovina and its sovereignty - they are legalists, regardless of which administration is in power. We saw that in 1994 and 1995 when the Americans saved the state framework of BiH, not the Europeans.

Remember that François Mitterrand and John Major said that BiH should be left to the fate that befell it, etc. The Americans came as legalists, as a serious military force, a world power, and stopped that.

Today I see and it is clear to me what they will do - I understand what the Americans will do. State property, logically, belongs to the state of BiH and they will respect the decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH. I am sure of that. There is no discussion about that.

All these stories that entities, cantons and municipalities will take over the property of the state of BiH - that is impossible. That is impossible in the American concept, they are always legalists - Lavić is convinced.

He also commented on the possible more intensive relationship between Milorad Dodik and his lobbying team towards the administration of US President Donald Trump, and whether, in the event of a strengthening of US influence in BiH, this could be dangerous for our homeland.

- Milorad Dodik is 'hanging by a thread' at this moment. Meaning, very little is missing for him to have sanctions re-imposed, and that is a very serious situation. There are people who secretly came to Banja Luka and conveyed messages to him from the White House.

Sanctions are currently 'hanging over' him because he did not fulfill all the promises he made to the Americans for his sanctions to be lifted. He is aware that he will now have to calm down and change his policy.

You will see very soon - if Landi manages to be installed in the OHR - everything will move in that direction, that the integrity, sovereignty and legality of Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to be preserved.

These stories with which we scare ourselves, that they will take our state property, divide Bosnia and so on - I do not believe in that, there is nothing to it - Lavić notes.

With optimism, he emphasizes that such a development could also bring positive consequences for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- The US once showed that they are ready to protect the interest of Bosnia and Herzegovina and we should look at that, regardless of what the Trump administration does in some other parts of the world.

We had the Biden administration under the slogan of "nation building", and now we have the Trump administration that talks about business investments. I am closer to the idea that Bechtel builds a highway for us, that they build a gas pipeline, that they invest here.

In that case, they have an interest in protecting it - it is their financial interest and they will strive to make a profit or gain. I hope that this will send a clear signal to Serbia and Croatia to stop their secessionist, expansionist and hegemonic policies towards BiH - adds Professor Lavić.