From destructive to European Dodik in just two hours!

By Amra Vrabac

In the span of just two hours, Milorad Dodik denied the Court of BiH, mocked the state of BiH and its laws, the judge before whom he pleaded guilty, and then at a meeting in Istočno Sarajevo with coalition partners at the state level, negotiated the Law on Courts, which also provides for the relocation of the Appellate Court outside the Court of BiH. At 1 PM he hates the Court of BiH, and at 3 PM he talks about the Appellate Department. Paradoxical.

This is one of the European laws from the 14 priorities from the European Commission's report that BiH authorities must adopt. One of the basic postulates that European and other international envoys in BiH repeat to us like parrots is the rule of law. Now imagine when a person who, in an hour or two, has shown all possible intolerance towards the BiH Prosecutor's Office and Court, denying precisely that rule of law, then steps back from his ultimate demands for the sake of the EU and the laws we must adopt. Which Dodik is the real one?

After leaving the courtroom, Dodik said that BiH was being dismantled by his court process, but that he would defend himself. Dodik is not defending himself from the state of BiH, nor the Federation of BiH, nor foreigners, as he presents it, but from himself and his actions.

What Dodik said in the courtroom today speaks only of him, but what he said after today's meeting speaks of the politics he represents, whose goal is to weaken the state. Although he tried to trade with the parties of the 'trojka' today and briefly halt the parliamentary blockades that were already demonstrated at the last session of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament, and in the case of postponing the emergency session of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament, Dodik has already announced that he will not give up on solutions for the Constitutional Court of BiH and the elimination of foreign judges. If negotiations on topics and projects that interest him do not have the consent of the 'trojka', because he has long been a partner with HDZ, Dodik will again resort to blockades. And so it goes in circles. He will not be very interested in the European Union or reform laws then.

What is confusing is the euphoria that prevailed with Čović and Nikšić after today's meeting. Dodik repeated all his ultimatums, including the eastern interconnection, the continuation of the construction of Buk Bijela, and Trebinje airport, which will not be possible until the issue of state property is resolved.

We can partly understand Čović because he has a partner for amendments to the BiH Election Law, but what is Nikšić's justification. Does he really think that with a man who dislikes the state of BiH, wants its division, does not respect its institutions, does not implement the decisions of the BiH Constitutional Court, does not renounce war criminals, curses genocide, and denies Bosniaks and the Bosnian language, he really wants to join the European Union, or is something else at play?

Is Nikšić too naive or eager for false and unsustainable success due to the atmosphere in which the 'trojka' finds itself after the formation of the state government, and especially after the imposed Government of the FBiH?