Mešalić for NAP: It is shameful that Nikšić humbly apologizes to Čović for not fulfilling his wishes due to US Embassy pressure

(Patria) - It is shameful that the Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH, who represents all citizens of that entity, apologizes in such a way to a party leader because he did not fulfill his wishes due to pressure from the American Embassy.

Federal MP Mahir Mešalić (DF) stated this in an interview with the News Agency Patria (NAP), commenting on the statements made today by the leaders of SDP BiH Nermin Nikšić and HDZ BiH Dragan Čović after a meeting of representatives of parties forming the government at the FBiH level.

Let us recall, the host of the meeting of representatives of HDZ BiH and the Trojka (SDP, People and Justice, Our Party) in Mostar was Čović. Among other things, the Law on the Southern Gas Interconnection was also discussed.

In his address to the media, Nikšić admitted that there was a previous agreement between Trojka and HDZ on a different content of the law, but that it failed due to pressure from the US Embassy.

- We had what we had, some pressure, we all know from where, and it changed (the agreement). After our communication, I said, 'Dragan, I apologize, this has changed, I cannot revert it to the beginning' - Nikšić said.

Čović announced that in the next 15 days he will try to reach an agreement with Trojka on amendments to the existing law.

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Nikšić: Americans forced us to adopt such a law, Čović: I agreed with Nikšić to change it

(Patria) - Federal Prime Minister and SDP leader Nermin Nikšić, after today's meeting of representatives of Trojka and HDZ in Mostar, said that the Law on the Southern Gas Interconnection, adopted by the FBiH Parliament, was also discussed. Nikšić admitted

- We knew that, we saw it in Parliament. It was clear that Nikšić agreed to the Southern Interconnection Law only due to pressure from the American Embassy, or rather from the then-ambassador Michael Murphy, who in a way installed him in power - Mešalić told NAP.

According to him, the support for the statements of analyst Enver Kazaz, which could be heard at today's press conference of Nikšić and Čović, as well as earlier appearances by Predrag Kojović from Our Party and Elmedin Konaković from NiP, clearly 'indicate that they are intensively working to fulfill Čović's wish for the independence of several cantons, or that this will be a prelude to a new 'Herceg-Bosna'.

- The executors of the work are Nikšić from SDP, Forto from Our Party, and Konaković from NiP, and ultimately we see that their 'intellectuals' who appear on TV channels controlled by Dragan Čović are also working on it - Mešalić points out.

He states that there are plenty of examples that support this.

- They are probably planning amendments to the Law on the Southern Interconnection, thereby creating a counterpart to the BH Gas company. Just as the power companies, post office, telecom, and other companies have been divided, so they now want to divide BH Gas.

Everything that the American Embassy opposed, they now want to 'fix'. And they will probably propose amendments to this law to the Federal Parliament, which SDP, Our Party, and NiP, along with other satellites, will ultimately support - Mešalić says.

He points out that among the journalists at today's press conference of Nikšić and Čović was Zoran Krešić, who was recently appointed to the Management Board of RTV FBiH.

- Slowly but surely, Čović is gaining control of the media space in the Federation and is slowly getting us used to 'new circumstances' in which, while an attempt at secession of an entity is underway, Nikšić humbly apologizes to Čović, which is of course a humiliation for all citizens, primarily for those voters who voted for SDP hoping for some changes - Mešalić tells us.

US Senator Jeanne Shaheen announced earlier today that she would seek sanctions against Čović from the US if he continues to block the Southern Interconnection project. We asked Mešalić if Trojka and HDZ are trying to exploit the vacuum while there is no new US ambassador in BiH and amend the Law on the Southern Interconnection in a way that exclusively suits HDZ.

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Senator Shaheen called for sanctions against Čović

(Patria) - A hearing was held before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee for individuals nominated by US President Donald Trump as ambassadors to the Vatican, Chile, and Croatia. Among other things, the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina was also discussed.

- The question is what the stance of the new Embassy will be. Perhaps they will support Čović and Nikšić in these intentions to form a new company that would control the incoming gas for BiH. The question is who the new US ambassador will be and how he will behave.

I welcome Congresswoman Shaheen's statement and I think it was long overdue, even when Ambassador Murphy was here, for the United States to impose sanctions on Čović, because he deserved it with his actions.

Especially in synchronized action with Milorad Dodik in dismantling the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Mešalić concludes in an interview with NAP.

(D.K.)