Not only SNSD is blocking, the problem lies in the illusions the Trojka is selling

By: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

Another attempt to adopt European laws and the decision to form the Office of the Chief Negotiator in the Council of Ministers of BiH ended – in a completely expected failure.

But what is truly devastating is the fact that politicians, most of all the leaders of the Trojka, and this time told the citizens one thing, and did completely another.

They first convinced the public three years ago that Milorad Dodik was some new European politician, that now that SDA is gone everything will go smoothly, and then since January 2025. they have been trying to deceive citizens that SNSD is no longer part of the government. In doing so, they consciously ignored all the help Dragan Čović selflessly provided to Dodik.

Today, a different story, hindsight from which no one benefits.

In the past weeks, we have heard "firm" announcements that European laws will be adopted. There was talk of agreements reached, readiness, determination, and supposed common interest. It was promised that "everything will be done" for BiH to catch the last train for opening negotiations with the EU.

Today we see that none of that was true.

As before, ministers from the Serb people did not even vote for the agenda. This is no novelty, no surprise, and no "new moment". This is a practice that has been repeated for years. Despite this, the Trojka continued to assure the public that there was a real chance to push through key European laws.

And then, when everything falls apart, the same story about the culprits again.

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Edin Forto, accused SNSD of being an anti-European party, and HDZ of providing them with tools for blockades. All of this may be true, and it has been for a long time, but what Forto is omitting is that a good part of the public has been warning about such things for years, so the question of the Trojka's responsibility in the entire process is very significant.

Why did they claim the laws would pass, even though it was clear they wouldn't? Why did they sell optimism again, even though they know how the Council of Ministers functions and the relationships within the coalition?

It is even more problematic that he now admits that he would vote for laws that would not get the green light from Brussels anyway. So, there was no serious strategy. Just an attempt to shift political damage to others. The cancellation of the meeting in Brussels with BiH leaders is a message that can be clearly read. Is Brussels tired?

The situation with the Office of the Chief Negotiator further shows confusion and inconsistency. Only now is the question of jurisdiction being raised, although it has been announced for months that the decision would be adopted without problems. If the jurisdictions are not clarified, what exactly has been agreed upon so far? And why did they send messages to citizens that everything was a "done deal"?

The truth is simple, but unpleasant; the year was not lost because of SNSD – the year was lost because politicians sold unrealistic stories to citizens, while at the same time having neither a plan nor the strength to ensure a minimum of unity in government.

BiH's EU path is today a hostage of the same old blockades, but also of new illusions that the government itself produces.

And the citizens have once again been deceived, first by promises and lies, and then today by excuses.