Lendo: BiH will never join the EU until it resolves its internal issues

(Patria) - The international community has submitted a report that is both diplomatic and political. We expected it to be like that. We need to understand that it was simply assessed that Bosnia and Herzegovina is present, but at the same time, they openly told us that we have not met expectations, what the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina expect. For the same reasons, we are now opening what is for us an unknown term, conditional opening of negotiations, stated the Vice President of the Federation of BiH, Refik Lendo, as a guest on BHT1 uživo BHRT-a.

"We will probably talk about these conditional negotiations in the coming days, what is expected by politicians and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, simply, the international community has shown us that Bosnia and Herzegovina is present in that regard. It is good to be in the international community, among other things, because of the system and because of money. In order for us to have a system like the European community, and then to have good infrastructure, money, and so on, we really need to do many things here. Not because of the European community, the European community will never [allow] Bosnia and Herzegovina to seriously open negotiations, nor will we join the European community if we do not resolve things within ourselves, within Bosnia and Herzegovina," Lendo stated.

He also touched upon the departure of people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, assessing that the biggest culprit for this is the poor political system.

"That is why our citizens, our youth are leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina, unfortunately, because of the system, then they earn better there. And when you leave the European Union, from the member states of the European Union, and arrive at the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina, then that group of people is first confused at the border. You know, you first see the flag of Republika Srpska. Instead of it being the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina, they put the flag of Republika Srpska. Then I ask the border guards there, why that flag, why isn't it the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina first, they say what difference does it make. Not to mention the infrastructure, the system, etc. Therefore, citizens are fleeing because we have not arranged many things, and with such a Bosnia and Herzegovina, with such a political system, with such policies, unfortunately, it will be very difficult for us to open negotiations, even this conditional opening of negotiations," he stated.

According to him, he believes that the international community is a friend of BiH, as he said, even though we get angry sometimes.

"The international community is a friend, was and remains, of the citizens and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and they tell us what we need to resolve for ourselves, so that it functions, so that people are not hired only if someone pulls strings for you, if you have someone, so that you can get a job and so that people don't flee, but stay because of the system and because of, let's say, the infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we need to resolve and arrange that. The international community must help us in all of this, we cannot agree on many things," Lendo stated.

He commented on his recent statement that the office of the High Representative compromises the future work of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"You know when it appears, and I won't go back to the part about the election of the Government of the Federation... That part is also mentioned in the European Commission's report. That's right, anything that is not the will of the citizens and voters is not good. Therefore, this experiment where the International Community, the High Representative, and the American Ambassador and the International Community, this is an experiment for them and it has proven to be a bad experiment. I think this is the last time they will help in that way, take appropriate measures. Therefore, we are striving for this country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to truly be a democratic, civic, organized country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and not to divide them further along ethnic or other lines. Therefore, the law of the Court of Human Rights that was passed, and this last one, can only improve the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and not the report of the High Representative and his view that, if that law is finally adopted, there will be conflict, discord between the Federation, within the Federation, entities, etc., which I believe will not happen, but rather, both that law and the law on human rights and what we need to adopt is something that will make the state efficient, the rule of law, etc...", stated the Vice President of the FBiH.

He assessed that the issue of electing a judge of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Federation is more political than a matter of expertise.

He also spoke about the relations within the ruling coalition at the federal and state levels, emphasizing that they are not the best.

"If I go back, when that majority was formed at the state level, and also in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, then it started with a team of 11, then 8, then it was reduced to three political parties, and even three function with great difficulty, they have difficulty with staffing, with certain more difficult decisions, especially regarding the judiciary, when it needs to be agreed with HDZ, Trojka, when it needs to be agreed with Republika Srpska, then it really doesn't function. Within the Federal Parliament and the Government of the Federation, many things, as a majority, they are never sure about, and here the citizens suffer," he stated.