LAST LINE OF DEFENCE The pro-Bosnian side must not accept the Murphy-Schmidt plan for state property; the state of Bosnia must be the sole titleholder!

Written by: Rasim Belko

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Few believed that the Resolution on Consociational Federalism in BiH of the European Parliament, adopted on 15 February 2017, would see its operationalisation six years later in a homogeneous diplomatic score in three parts: USA - Great Britain - EU.

However, after the double imposition of electoral rules as an introduction to the final resolution of that issue in line with Croatian interests, we have apparently entered a phase where the issue of state property must also be resolved according to an identical model. That is, according to the interests of Serbia and Croatia. And the interests are clear: Bosnia and Herzegovina as a community of states. Everything after that will be a far easier path to division.

The initial act of implementing the Resolution on Consociational Federalism in BiH, adopted at a time when Europe was ruled by populists, conservatives and Christian Democrats, was the installation of the Christian Democrat right-winger Christian Schmidt as High Representative in BiH. Angela Merkel knew, and her partners knew, that the execution of the final plan for the partition of Bosnia could only be carried out from the position of the head of the OHR.

That is why Schmidt's path to BiH led via Dubrovnik and Andrej Plenković; everything else is a shameful history for the state of BiH. Because, since the arrival of the right-winger Schmidt in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Constitution and democratic rules have been adapted, and only the arguments of the stronger, authorised by the Bonn powers to impose what the resolution on federalism had outlined, hold sway.

And it outlined that federalism should be the principle guiding talks on the future organisation of BiH. And here the partners of the European Christian Democrats and conservatives on the international stage come into play.

The United States Embassy effectively wasted time on responses and statements to the separatist Milorad Dodik while waiting for things to fall into place and the situation to develop along the path of federalisation. Today, statements are rarer and paler, but Ambassador Michael Murphy and the Embassy itself are conveying that the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina does not necessarily have to be the titleholder of everything. Because, how will you divide a state that owns its territory?

That is why they came up with the idea of forming a group of experts on state property, which, by all accounts, is supposed to push through the story of territorial division and finalise the proposal from the resolution.

In this context, today's message from Murphy, spoken in a television programme, should be viewed: “If there is property that is not needed, you do not have to keep it and the state can transfer it to another owner: the municipality, the canton, or even the entity.”

Although at first reading it seems like a perhaps acceptable compromise, the American ambassador's message is actually, in its depths, a hidden division of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Because the issue of state property was not raised due to the need for that property, but because of the fact that a war was fought over it. A war that was meant to tear Bosnia and Herzegovina apart. So, it is not at all questionable whether lower administrative arrangements will or should receive something from state property for use; what is important is that it is all registered in the name of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the sole owner.

And after that, put a full stop, and resolve the issue of use through decisions of state bodies. So, the issue of state property is very simple, perhaps the simplest issue. It is just evidently a problem that the score in three parts USA - Great Britain - EU does not want Bosnia and Herzegovina to preserve its territorial integrity, i.e., ownership over its territory. In that case, any further dismemberment of Bosnia would be impossible except by new armed force.

The reason why this problem still lurks in the bushes like the most dangerous beast and stalks the fate of Bosnia should not be sought in internal relations. Because those internal relations are defined by the peace agreement and the Constitution as part of that agreement. And the peace agreement is a compromise between the warring parties. So, it is very clear that the warring forces – those that defended the unity and territorial integrity of BiH and the forces that wanted its dissolution – will never reach an agreement on this issue.

In that case, it is a legitimate question: what international law is it that the Americans, their low-flying aircraft, the British and the Europeans are defending, if they allow that, even three decades after the aggression, Bosnia and Herzegovina is not granted ownership over its property – its territory?

And there is no compromise here. And yes, we will fight again, because the partition of Bosnia and Herzegovina, even through the expert groups of the right-winger Schmidt, means our disappearance. And we have not learned to surrender without attempting to defend ourselves.

However, there is no doubt that the score in three parts USA - Britain - EU will not stop trying to dismember the territory of BiH. And that will be done according to the model: something to the entities (read: Dodik), something to the cantons (read: Čović), and what remains for the last reserve in the international order (read: Bosniaks, Bosnians, others).

That is why it is clear that the pro-Bosnian political spectrum MUST NOT accept the solution of Schmidt's “secret” expert group or Schmidt's own imposition. Because state property is not a red line; it is the LINE OF DEFENCE and there is no negotiation here. Bosnia and Herzegovina was an internationally recognised state at the moment of aggression; today it is an internationally recognised, sovereign state and MUST remain an integral state.

Gentlemen Murphy and Schmidt, this time the Bosniaks, Bosnians and Herzegovinians will have to tell you NO. And that means NO to the partition of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which also means NO to a reservation for Bosniaks.

We do not agree to be Indians, gentlemen Americans, British, Europeans! And we are not afraid of supersonic bombers in low overflights either!