Political Chaos: The Troika Continues the Old Pattern Under Čović's Mentorship

Written by: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

The political chaos we live in every day is confirmed by the statements of the Troika leaders. And it was they who, at the start of their mandate, announced new political winds and compromises that would lead Bosnia and Herzegovina straight to Brussels. They claimed they would have a completely different relationship with the SNSD and HDZ than the one led by the SDA. Instead, political hell ensued.

Today, it is no longer even clear who actually constitutes the government at the state level. Since January, the Troika has claimed to have expelled the SNSD from the coalition, while at the same time Nermin Nikšić explains that they stopped cooperating with Dodik because there was "no benefit" from it and because it "only created problems." However, anyone following the political reality knows that this statement has no basis in truth.

It is obvious that the Troika received instructions on what and how to say, and the media report it without any critical reflection. Overnight, they forget what meetings were held and with whom.

After Milorad Dodik dictated the pace and rules of the game for years, his role as the Troika's mentor has now been taken over by Dragan Čović. Meetings with Elmedin Konaković and Nermin Nikšić, held within just 24 hours, confirm that the HDZ BiH is shaping the key moves of the government. Instead of protecting institutions, the Troika accepts dictates.

After the meeting in Mostar, the HDZ sends messages about "internal stability" and a "strong European path," but practice shows something completely different: a continuation of blockades, blackmail, and obstruction of institutions. Dodik's matrix has not disappeared – it has simply been transferred into the hands of Dragan Čović, with the assistance of those who promised change in the elections.

The Troika promised to break the vicious circle of destruction, but today, in fact, they are feeding it. Once again, it is confirmed that this country is not governed by the will of the citizens, but by the will of political mentors to whom the Troika is subordinated.

We live in a dual reality. While Čović and the Troika send public messages about stability and the European path, the Minister of Defense of BiH, Zukan Helez, warns of systemic discrimination against Bosniaks in the state service – under the baton of HDZ cadres.

If Helez is right, then the messages from Mostar and Sarajevo are merely empty phrases, behind which lies a practice of discrimination and deepening of the political crisis.

The key question remains: did they discuss this in Mostar and Sarajevo? Or is discrimination kept silent when the Troika sits with its new mentor?