Hypocritical EU makes it easier for Dodik and Čović

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo 

That Bosnia and Herzegovina is not high on the priorities of the European Union was shown yesterday at the meeting of EU foreign ministers. Sanctions were absent, but also conclusions. But it is certainly better that there were none if they contained clichés that are already well known to everyone.

Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said after the meeting of EU foreign ministers that they had a serious discussion about the situation in the Western Balkans, and that Bosnia and Herzegovina was high on the agenda due to the seriousness of the situation.

But a serious discussion does not help Bosnia and Herzegovina, because forces within the country itself have been 'seriously discussing' for decades! Without concrete help for the option that is currently alone in its efforts to preserve not only the integrity but also the sovereignty of BiH, the space for the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina to become a modern European country is narrowing.

In the EU, and not all of them, they are concerned that individuals are using this situation for secessionist rhetoric, they call for dialogue among leaders who must talk and return to state institutions at full capacity, but no one yet offers an option on how to do that.

Milorad Dodik has been left too much space, while Bosniaks are openly told that they must give something to Croats and make 'painful concessions'. That something in this case is EVERYTHING. That is why Bakir Izetbegović is being broken and pressured too much, who for now does not agree to blackmail, but his position is also threatened by the fact that the opposition in BiH does not stand firmly behind him.

And this is not about ideological issues, surgically precise everyone is clear about the difference between SDA, SDP, DF, SBB, NIP, Naša stranka and others, but the math says that the civic option carries at least 400,000 votes (if Komšić's and Denis Bećirović's votes are added up) and that is not a negligible number of those citizens who want to vote according to their own discretion and assessments of candidates based on the values they carry, not which people they belong to. Implementation of the judgments of the Court in Strasbourg is a priority, and by no means the 'Croatian issue' which was introduced into the public space solely because Čović could not enter the Presidency of BiH.

National and civic are not and do not necessarily have to be in conflict, all parties are probably deeply aware of that.

Often from the EU they tell us that everything is up to the political entities in BiH, that the BiH political entities and peoples themselves must change their situation, and then the international community will, allegedly, help.

So aren't the results of the General Elections, at least when it comes to the election of members of the Presidency, a change in the situation? Not to mention the Local Elections, the results showed that citizens want a different BiH.

But, by giving in to Dodik, the position of Čović is strengthened, who, with the strong lobby of Croatia in the EU, did a good job in Brussels, and with the dangerous situation in BiH due to the actions of Milorad Dodik, tied Izetbegović's hands. While attention is focused on Dodik and his threats, Čović is reaping the benefits.

Germany understood that and, together with the United States of America, currently stands with BiH and its citizens. The hesitation from Brussels can also be qualified as a result of support for Dodik from those countries that create disorder within the EU itself – Hungary, Poland, Croatia... And while they 'complain' from the EU about the migrant crisis, it is as if they are not aware of the wave that is happening to them and that will happen from BiH itself, but also the region, if the undermining of the Dayton Peace Agreement is not stopped urgently.

As academician Esad Duraković noted in his column, the international community has an unfair attitude towards BiH; it is the creator of our misfortune, and also of today's inability to get back on our feet.

That community prevented BiH from defending itself at the time when it was attacked by all three neighboring countries: they imposed an arms embargo on it and thus denied it the right to self-defense.

"Isn't that horrifying and in total conflict with European values?! When the Army of BiH nevertheless reached the gates of Banja Luka, in the final act of liberating the country from the JNA, they threatened that liberating Army that NATO would bomb it if it did not stop in liberating its own country. Then that Community brought us to Dayton and literally dictated the peace agreement to us, accommodating the aggressor in the process," wrote Professor Duraković.

And what could be discussed when through every segment of our existence, mechanisms are embedded that absolutize the ETHNIC, through which nationalists can legitimately block everything.

Why then is this concept being reinforced by ensuring additional 'legitimacies' as advocated by Čović.

What further concessions must we make to satisfy the needs of those who want BiH territorially whole, but with fragmented sovereignty?