Marić: Čović's representative offices in Brussels can promote the economy, but not politics

SARAJevo, (Patria) - Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Croat people and President of HDZ BiH Dragan Čović announced the opening of a representative office in Brussels that will represent cantons from FBiH where the majority Croat population lives.

Čović particularly thanked the Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković and the Mayor of the City of Zagreb Milan Bandić , emphasizing that through their offices in Brussels, they helped resolve administrative issues for opening a joint office from BiH at the seat of the European Union.

"We have secured the space, and we are now defining how we will do it, and I think we will very soon open an office in Brussels that will enable us, first and foremost, to present our European policy, communicate with the administration there, and enable connection with all those institutions that allow us to join major projects," Čović said. 

Such announcements by Čović have caused sharp reactions from other political parties in the Federation. The president of SDP BiH Nermin Nikšić assessed that such a policy by Čović is a continuation, as he said, of the weakening of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The president of DF Željko Komšić also criticized the president of HDZ BiH, pointing out that by opening the representative office of "Croatian cantons", an attempt is being made to pave the way for the acceptance of Croatian and Bosniak entities within the Federation of BiH.

On the other hand, political commentator Ivana Marić sees nothing wrong with the Croatian cantons from FBiH having a representative office in Brussels, if, as she says, that office will serve to attract foreign investors to the country, but not for the promotion of political goals.

"Representative offices of provinces, cantons, and entities in Brussels are a common occurrence," says Marić.

"All German provinces have their representative offices in Brussels through which they gather information and promote the areas they come from, primarily in an economic sense. Only in our country is a bogeyman made out of it. Canton Sarajevo has its representative office in Brussels, Republika Srpska also, so I don't see why it would be a problem for cantons with a majority Croat population to open their representative office in Brussels," Marić points out. However, she adds, for it not to be a problem, such an office must work exclusively on promoting natural and economic advantages that would attract investors and create benefits for the entire country. If HDZ hopes to engage in political promotion of a third entity through these representative offices, she further points out, "they are gravely mistaken because no one in Brussels will treat them that way."

Speaking about Čović's latest move and his true intentions with the representative office of Croatian cantons in Brussels, Marić believes that the president of HDZ BiH and that party are probably counting on the citizens not having complete information about the role of representative offices in Brussels, so they believe that the information about the opening of the representative office of "Croatian cantons" in Brussels will be perceived by citizens as another step towards potential independence. Precisely for this reason, Marić believes, Čović's latest move is a promise for some and a threat for others, although, she points out, in essence, it can be neither.

"There is no constitutional basis for any independence. Anything that would change in the constitutional structure of BiH requires the consent of representatives of the other two peoples," Marić reminds.

"I regret that HDZ, after so many years in power, does not have results to campaign with, but must again create an atmosphere of threat to the survival of Croats in BiH," she adds.

For this political commentator, it is interesting that, as she says, representatives of the other two peoples have gone a step further than HDZ BiH. She assesses that in addition to raising national tensions, SDA and SNSD are also campaigning with sweet-talking promises that are difficult for those parties to fulfill, but at least they are pleasant to hear.

"So, SDA and SNSD, parties that have been in power for several years now, towards the end of their term, promise millions of jobs, pension increases, and salaries that make citizens dizzy. I don't understand how they are not at least a little ashamed that after so many years in power, they have done nothing for the citizens, they have not fulfilled the promises from the previous election campaign, they have not built infrastructure, they have introduced excise tax increases which have led to price increases for goods and services, and with wrong tax policy, to salary reductions. And now, without any shame, they promise even more jobs, even higher pensions, and even higher salaries. Perhaps people have short memories, but they can clearly see how much money is in their wallets now, and how much they had four years ago," says Marić.

She concludes that it is a shame that domestic politicians invest time, knowledge, and innovation in raising national tensions, especially before elections, instead of using their capacities to do something positive and useful for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.