Independent Bloc: We call on Croatia to stay out of Bosnia and Herzegovina

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Following the allegations by the BiH media Žurnal about the involvement of diplomats from the neighboring Republic of Croatia in activities that deeply interfere in the internal affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Independent Bloc believes that
the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina should do everything to verify these startling allegations, it is stated in the press release of this party.

"Unfortunately, our country is often a subject of disrespect and verbal trampling of state sovereignty by neighboring countries, and statements by officials, such as the President of the Republic of Croatia about 'tens of thousands of extremists in BiH', reinforce suspicions of coordinated intentions to portray Bosnia and Herzegovina as an extremist stronghold. The allegations made by the BiH Security Minister Dragan Mektić should be taken extremely seriously, and the judicial and police agencies in BiH should conduct a comprehensive investigation that should shed light on the role of the Consul of the Republic of Croatia in Tuzla, Ivan Bandić, as well as high officials of our country, Deputy Security Minister Mijo Krešić and others, who, as claimed by Minister Mektić and the media, created an operation that planned to plant weapons in Islamic religious facilities in BiH", the statement reads.

"I call on the authorities in the Republic of Croatia, as a member of the EU and NATO, to behave in accordance with international law and obligations, as well as respect for Bosnia and Herzegovina as a sovereign state. I also call on them not to deny international verdicts, especially the one on the Joint Criminal Enterprise in which the wartime leadership of Croatia also participated, to respect our country and respect us as a European democratic state and not to be standing tutors to the Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. If this information about involvement in arming Salafis proves true, Bosnia and Herzegovina as a state must take clear countermeasures, and the European Union and NATO should be informed of all activities of their member state, and whether the rules of these international associations are being violated", stated Senad Šepić, President of the Independent Bloc.