Nikšić wrote to ambassadors: The unity of the state must not be subject to discussion or compromise

(Patria) - SDP BiH President Nermin Nikšić today sent a letter to the ambassadors of the member states of the Peace Implementation Council, the EU Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Johann
Sattler, and the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt, informing them of the SDP BiH's position regarding the negotiations on amendments to the BiH Election Law. In his letter, President Nikšić states:

„Your Excellency, 

I consider it important and proper to personally inform you of our positions regarding the continuation of negotiations on constitutional reforms and amendments to the Election Law.  The Social Democratic Party of BiH remains committed to its positions. A prerequisite for talks on constitutional reforms and amendments to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the unblocking of state institutions and the annulment of unconstitutional, anti-Dayton, secessionist decisions of the authorities in the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity of Republika Srpska (RS).

We do not believe that any agreement is better than none. Bosnia and Herzegovina has an Election Law. It is a bad one, but it exists, so a possible failure of this process does not jeopardise the holding of elections. At a time when Bosnia and Herzegovina is exposed to constant, intensive attacks on its sovereignty and territorial integrity through the decisions of the RS National Assembly, but also from neighbouring countries, we consider it unacceptable to discuss amendments to the BiH Election Law with those who participate in the processes of destroying the state, as well as to ignore those processes. Preserving state sovereignty must be the priority of all current talks, and the unquestionability of the unity of the state without ethnic divisions cannot be subject to discussion or compromise.

For us in the SDP BiH, any amendments to the election law that would lead to further division of the state along ethnic lines are unacceptable, as is any asymmetric solution regarding the election of members of the BiH Presidency. We consider asymmetric solutions for the election of the highest state body to be a de facto introduction of a confederal structure. We have clearly stated our positions since the beginning of the negotiations, and they are known to all participants, so we see no need to participate in further talks where we would only be able to reiterate this position.

Finally, we are convinced that our position in these political processes is reasonable. The SDP BiH is immediately ready to agree to any constitutional solution and the establishment of an electoral model that applies in any of the European Union member states. Of course, we demand that decisions that would be characterised as undermining the constitutional order in any sovereign EU member state be previously annulled, thus removing evident security threats to our country. Likewise, we reject any solution that furthers ethnicisation and exclusivism in the electoral process, which the European Parliament has called contrary to the founding principles of the EU.

Finally, we wish to emphasise that we consider the most positive aspect of the initiative to be the fact that, alongside the EU, the United States of America is participating through its representatives. We are convinced that both the US and the EU will base their participation in political processes in BiH primarily on the universal values on which they themselves rest. We are convinced that the US, a proven friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina and our sincere ally and advocate in all difficult moments over the past several decades, will be a bulwark against anti-state manipulations. We consider their participation in the talks a guarantee that the aspirations of secessionists and advocates of a racist model of the greater value of the vote of members of certain ethnic groups will not be further affirmed in any solutions.

As far as the SDP of Bosnia and Herzegovina is concerned, we are ready to participate in all processes conducted within the institutions of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina that will lead to the unblocking of the state, the halting of secessionism, and the establishment of a fair electoral model in accordance with the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, which will guarantee the protection of the integrity of the electoral process“, the letter states.