TROJKA WITHOUT ALIBI: Elected, Deceived, Disgraced: Budget Under Pressure, State on Its Knees!

By: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

What happened at today's session of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina is not just a technical budget item! This is a political and institutional humiliation, one in a series of scenes that shows how the system of this country is being devalued daily, and from within.

The decision to collect the debt owed to the Slovenian company Viaduct from the profit of the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has done something that, in any serious country, would trigger a political earthquake. Here, it is just another news item of the day that will be forgotten by next week.

The ministers of HDZ and SNSD voted for this decision without any hesitation, outvoting the ministers of the Trojka. This act reveals all the futility of the current coalition at the state level. However, this fact does not absolve anyone. Especially not Elmedin Konaković, who had the mechanism to stop this at the Collegium – and did not use it. Instead, we got a statement in the style of "it is unlikely that this will pass," which actually means: it has already passed, but I am not ready to admit that openly.

This brings us to the key problem: the weakness of the Trojka is no longer a political issue; it is now a question of political and institutional integrity. Because while they declaratively advocate for reforms, the European path, and a functional state, in practice we watch as their allies from HDZ and SNSD regularly outmaneuver them.

And the Trojka, instead of drawing red lines, retreats into PR games – press releases, statuses, spin. Thus, Konaković boasts about how today they adopted the Decision on visa abolition during the season for citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Bravo, masters!

Very simply, their political strategy has been reduced to an illusion of control, and reality brutally reminds us every time that numbers are relentless – two votes against three always mean defeat. Especially when you do not use mechanisms to challenge the agenda through the Collegium. And where is Edin Forto – he is in the USA at the workers' games! And the SNSD ministers mocked that today, publicly in front of journalists! Humiliation, after humiliation.

Even more painful than the decision itself is the ease with which lies are told. Citizens are told one thing, something else is agreed upon, and a third thing is signed. Such a political culture is not just unacceptable – it is dangerous. It cements distrust in institutions, renders elections meaningless, and creates an environment where cynicism is the only remaining currency.

And while excavators stand still, both symbolically and literally, the rubber bands – legal, political, moral – are wearing out. It is not easy to remain immune and suppress the smiles of Staša Košarac, as he mocks the attempts from Sarajevo to act as a strong political force. Amidžić's comment about "scattered" Sarajevo politicians is no longer just a provocation – it is a diagnosis.

In this chaos, we come to an unexpected moment – Elmedin Konaković, paradoxically, turns to Željko Komšić, begging that this does not pass. The same Konaković who, until yesterday, publicly questioned Komšić – "What exactly has he done for BiH?" Now he expects salvation from him.

This brings us to the key realization: the Presidency of BiH is important. It is important who sits there, not only for foreign policy but for internal stability. Because when institutions give way and coalitions fall apart, every point of resistance matters, even if it comes from those you belittled until yesterday. Isn't that right, Konaković? Keep that in mind when you again promise Čović an Election Law tailored to his measure!

This story is not over. Perhaps Viaduct is not the end, but just the beginning of a more serious collapse of what remains of state integrity. If anything, the citizens of BiH should at least know one thing: when someone from the Trojka next promises them a "fight for the interests of the state," let them remember this session, and the way they (did not) defend it.