BiH's accession to NATO will stop Russian winds in the Balkans

By: Rasim Belko

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If we had some time machine carousel to take us back two and a half decades from these December days of 2020, one of the constants on that backward path would be the regressive policy of our neighbours from Zagreb and Belgrade.

It is the policy that firmly leans and ties itself to the foundations of the myths and desires of Serbian and Croatian politics. The passage of time since the aggression against BiH and the undisguised attempt to destroy or divide it actually reveals and confirms to the smallest detail the ambitions and plans of official Belgrade and Zagreb to seize two parts of BiH and leave the third to the Bosniak community, and then surround and destroy it to the ground.

In the years following the bloodshed, terrible crimes, and genocide caused by the mutual aggression of Serbia and Croatia, circumstances, governments in our country, as well as in neighbouring countries, have changed, but the constant aspiration towards Bosnia and Herzegovina has not.

The political Bobans, Šušks, Šešeljs, Karadžićs, following the instructions of Tuđman and Milošević, were continued by Koštunica, Tadić, Nikolić, and Vučić from the Serbian side, while in Croatia, Vlatko Pavletić, Zlatko Tomčić, Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, and the converted Zoran Milanović did the same.

Following the Karađorđevo matrix, the aforementioned Serbian and Croatian politicians squabbled, argued, and threatened each other, but regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina, they always remained on the same positions and on the coordinates of its destruction.

The consequence of such policies is the complete halt of Bosnia and Herzegovina's transition from a society in wartime ruins to a normal and organized system. Because the official and unofficial attacks from Belgrade and Zagreb undermined every step forward by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

And so, for two and a half decades, the political, diplomatic, secret, and public offensive of neighbouring, supposedly friendly countries has been ongoing.

Internal political division is an obstacle for Bosnia and Herzegovina to resist the attacks from its neighbours, while at the same time it lacks the strength and opportunity to create a new discourse towards better times.

One of the biggest obstacles in all of this is the constitutional and political system, the changes to which are, again, hindered by Zagreb and Belgrade through their pawns and political agencies in BiH.

Therefore, the external reaction of Bosnia and Herzegovina's international friends is crucial. Such a reaction would hammer the last nail into the coffins of Serbian-Croatian hegemonism.

This was clearly stated yesterday, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement, by Bill Clinton, the former US President whose administration created that peace agreement for BiH.

“The US, all those who care about BiH - need to be actors again to resolve this Gordian knot”. And yes, the key to solving the Bosnian issue lies with the international community, with America at its head.

Because it is precisely that international community that has made a series of decisions in critical situations when Bosnia and Herzegovina could have resolved its own destiny. First, they prevented us from defending ourselves and liberating ourselves from that Serbian-Croatian hegemonism with an embargo.

Then they devised Dayton for us, giving one nation 49 percent of the territory, and that after all the crimes committed by the representatives of that nation. Previously, they stopped the Army that was defending Bosnia and Herzegovina from hegemonism.

And from then until today, our madness, our disappearance has continued. Because no one knows anymore how many of us have left BiH, not in war, but in a false and poorly planned peace.

The international community, primarily the US and the EU, have shown that when they want to, they can act towards the progress and better organization of BiH. The formation of state-level Armed and Police Forces demonstrates this. But the story did not continue in the right direction, and that is the problem.

Because these Armed Forces, as well as the police forces, are almost unusable today. Their command is in the hands of those who publicly swear that they hate Bosnia and wish for its disappearance.

These destructive internal policies draw strength from bases in Zagreb and Belgrade, which are increasingly sailing on Russian political influence. And Russian interest has always been opposed to Bosnia's. Always and forever.

This is also evident from the visit of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to our country yesterday.

Minister Lavrov stated that Republika Srpska is a good partner of the Russian Federation with which they have close and tight ties.

“Any attempt to undermine Dayton can cause the most serious risks and consequences and can be a threat to the entire stability. We have respectfully taken note of the RS's decision on military neutrality. We do not need any confrontation caused by NATO's activities”, Lavrov emphasized, among other things, during his visit to BiH.

Therefore, Lavrov wants the OHR removed, as one of the last obstacles to Milorad Dodik's secessionist pro-Russian activities. At the same time, although an experienced diplomat, Lavrov is talking nonsense about the RS entity's decision to be militarily neutral. And Lavrov is aware that the entity does not have a say in this and is not important in this process.

"We have unique cooperation in terms of respecting international law, primarily the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference in the affairs of other states," Lavrov said during his visit to Serbia.

How Serbia and Russia respect human rights and charters is best revealed by the bones of Srebrenica victims, the testimony of raped women, and other ordeals that all those who did not please the Serbs and Russians in BiH have survived. The story about respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity is so transparent that it would be painful to explain it.

And in the second center of Russian activity, in Zagreb, Lavrov cordially met with the country's leadership.

“Regarding BiH, both ministers agreed that everything must be done to build a strong foundation of equality for the three peoples and two entities”, Croatian media report the positions of the Croatian and Russian Foreign Ministers.

A more visible indicator of Zagreb and Belgrade's need to meddle in BiH's internal affairs is not needed.

And there is only one way out of this criminal-corrupt-nationalist environment. There is only one way out to preserve Bosnia and Herzegovina as sovereign and territorially unified from the attacks of Zagreb and Belgrade.

The way out is unconditional, automatic accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the NATO alliance. Because that is the greatest guarantee that Serbia and Croatia will no longer be able to and dare to interfere with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This move must be created by the United States, Great Britain, and the European Union. Otherwise, all previous policies and more successful moves will be washed away by Bosnian rivers, and winds against Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to penetrate deep inland from the east.