Plenković (didn't) move the hands of the Bosnian political clock

By Muharem Cero

Prepared and announced, Plenković's visit to BiH, accidentally or intentionally, by the will of internal Bosnian political subjects, occurred in a state of political overheating, raised tensions, and high expectations.

With the skill of the new Brussels Balkan generation of politicians, the prepared "Bosnian pot" was refused by the guest this time. With the manner of a political connoisseur, Plenković nevertheless agreed to create the impression of a welcoming first visit to a neighboring country with which he shares the longest state border.

The rather dense, but also unusual protocol of his visit, the First in Croatia patiently and skillfully used to attempt to master the wisdoms of the peculiarities of the Bosnian pot. The deviation from the Brussels-Zagreb distance of his recipe will only be a careful and thorough analysis upon his return to Markov dvor. As much as the visit to Sarajevo was part of this deciphering, the insights from West Mostar will be used to a much greater extent.

The range of the protocol was from constitutional-institutional to religious-institutional (with the exception of the third-Serbian state constitutionality). It cannot be ruled out that some political prejudices, which have unfortunately burdened the Zagreb view of Bosnia until now, will be redefined. Such a thing can also be inferred from Plenković's politically terse but significant statements in Mostar itself. His advocacy for the cohesion and functionality of BiH should not be read through the matrix of the federalization of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rather, it is advisable to read it as strengthening and respecting the institutions of the state of BiH in a model of decentralized regionalism to the extent of equality of all holders of Bosnian sovereignty.

It is not difficult to recognize in this a refined European-Merkel-style populism. If this is only an indication of such coming processes, then this new First in Croatia, Mr. Plenković, should be welcomed. Since every political action takes place in a specific political context, not only regional but also much wider, this statement could be accurate at this moment.

That is why Plenković was not ready to partake in the pot, taste the dish, and give his opinion on it. Wisely, statesmanlike skillfully, he bought time for this act, and institutionally positioned it within the effects of the work of the intergovernmental Council of the two
Governments, announced for the end of the current year in Sarajevo. Not very visibly and easily recognizable, the First in Croatia, by not returning the Bosnian political hands to the direction of the Washington Agreement, announced a new era and took the hands on a path forward.

For the success of Plenković's dedication to the Bosnian EU path, we still need to know who cannot be at the table of success on that path. That decision is a matter for Ibler, Markov trg, but also for the Brussels-American story.