Nikšić: Milanović, stop, you have adopted the rhetoric of your guest Dodik

(Patria) - Nermin Nikšić, president of SDP BiH, commented on the statements of Zoran Milanović, president of Croatia, and said that "unfortunately, he can no longer say he is surprised, on the contrary, it has become a practice, but he must say that he is disappointed with the behavior and statements of President Zoran Milanović".

"However, as someone who came to this position far from nationalist rhetoric, he should follow the true values of democracy, respect the sovereignty of another country, which has suffered in history, not by its own will, but because of higher powers that wanted a piece of our country for the interests of Greater Serbia or Croatia.

It is evident that this is no longer a coincidence and that these are not Milanović's gaffes, but a projected idea and some other goals.

Emphasizing that he is "not only interested in the status of Croats but also in the situation in the neighboring country, which was formed in '95 in a way that is not ideal, but God knows", speaking about the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina by comparing it to a Yugo 45, mocking that it cannot be a Passat, he has put himself on par with those who aimed to portray Bosnia and Herzegovina as an impossible country", Nikšić points out.

The president of SDP BiH notes that President Milanović received Milorad Dodik immediately after his pre-election speech, which is no less dangerous for the situation in the region because of it, such as the unification of Republika Srpska and the Republic of Serbia, which is only a step away from the story from the 90s "all Serbs in one state".

"Unfortunately, instead of condemning such statements, he adopted the rhetoric of his guest Milorad Dodik, who, together with his two other partners from the Federation, Bakir Izetbegović and Dragan Čović, has been hindering and blocking reforms for years due to personal interests and pushing Bosnia and Herzegovina to the bottom of the list of developing countries.

Milanović could have, for example, asked Dodik how Croats and Bosniaks live in Republika Srpska, where SNSD has absolute power, or how Serbs live in cantons where HDZ has power. There are almost no one of the former, the latter, or the latter there, Mr. Milanović.

I am not surprised by what you said about Izetbegović and his behavior when you invited him to Zagreb. We are used to his political failures both domestically and regionally.

But I am sure that you must be aware that external interference causes additional damage to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, I believe that as the president of a neighboring country, you should deal with the open issues between our two countries, there are very many of them, and leave our internal organization and relations to us, they should not concern you", Nikšić clearly states and adds:

"Advice from Croatia, which wants to dispose of nuclear waste on the border with BiH, thus endangering hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, which does not respect BiH's borders, cuts down forests and illegally enters another country, which uses water from our lake for electricity production without compensation, which denies BiH access to the open sea, which does not allow the return of property to its rightful owners, you will admit that it is hypocritical at the very least.

We are deeply aware that a civic Bosnia and Herzegovina would have any chance of success in such relations; it must first come to life in the realm of ideas. I want to remind you that there are forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina that are trying to define the idea of a civic state, that there are pro-Bosnian-Herzegovinian forces that are doing everything to make what seems politically impossible today politically inevitable. These forces are led by the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which unconditionally supported you in the presidential elections, defending the legality of the electoral process in our country.

Mr. Milanović, although you came to the presidential chair on the wings of social democracy, I fear that today you are advocating for other policies. I want to remind you that the late President Tuđman recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina as a sovereign and independent state. Therefore, I ask and invite you, stop here. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a sovereign and independent state with many of its own problems, without any doubt. But these problems are also Bosnia and Herzegovina, so only we in Bosnia and Herzegovina can solve them with more or less success", added Nikšić.