Plenković and Grabar-Kitarović oppose, Čović supports RS referendum

HDZ President Andrej Plenković and Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović have stated they are against holding a referendum in Republika Srpska, as it only increases tensions in BiH.

On the other hand, BiH Presidency member and HDZ BiH President Dragan Čović has supported the referendum in RS, which the authorities from Banja Luka have scheduled for September 25, writes the Patria news agency.

The Constitutional Court of BiH declared the celebration of January 9 as the Day of RS unconstitutional, but the authorities from this BiH entity do not wish to accept the Court's decision, after which they announced a referendum on this issue. 

All pro-Bosniak parties and the international community oppose the referendum. Embassies in Sarajevo are also calling for the referendum to be abandoned, with the exception of the Russian Embassy.

HDZ President Andrej Plenković said he is against holding a referendum on the Day of Republika Srpska because he believes it could be the first step towards a second referendum that would lead to the secession of RS from BiH.

- I am against this referendum. It could be the first step towards a referendum that would lead to the secession of RS from BiH, which is not good. This is also the unified stance of the international community, Croatia, and all key political actors in the country - Plenković told reporters, Hina reported.

Plenković believes that efforts should be made to de-escalate tensions and support BiH's European path.
 
- It is precisely through this European path that we can best protect the constituent status and equality of Croats in BiH, as well as the well-being of all other peoples - Plenković stated.

A day earlier, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović stated in New York that the referendum on the Day of Republika Srpska, scheduled for September 25, is "contrary to the Dayton Agreement" and expressed hope that it will not be held.

The Croatian member of the BiH Presidency and President of HDZ BiH, Dragan Čović, does not share the views of Plenković and Grabar-Kitarović. Čović said that holding a referendum on the Day of Republika Srpska is the most democratic way of expression, and that he sees nothing problematic with the referendum.

Čović told reporters in the municipality of Derventa that what BiH institutions have decided must be respected. He believes that no one will mention the referendum the day after it is held, writes Patria.