Troika expected more from Escobar: Dodik's allies are EU wreckers

(Patria) - We had higher expectations from the visit of Mr. Gabriel Escobar, the US envoy for the Western Balkans, during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Not in the sense of waving a magic wand that would eliminate all our problems, but we expected at least the level of diplomatic and political conduct he showed when, albeit from the US, he stated that Dodik is not interested in the Republika Srpska but in preserving his acquired power and wealth. We received a meeting full of respect, after which Escobar said there would be no war and that there is a possibility Dodik might withdraw the decisions he made. We would like to know on what Mr. Escobar bases his optimism, given that after the meeting with him, Dodik continued with even worse insults and threats to peace in BiH, states the joint statement of the SDP, Our Party, and NIP.

"Dodik is very concretely threatening violence, but he has also embarked on achieving his goals through violent processes. Primarily, we refer to the unconstitutional transfer of competencies from the state to the entity. There is also the threat of military violence through the announcement of forming an RS army and the related usurpation of military property. Additionally, there is the arming of the police and the organization of police exercises that have no other purpose than to demonstrate force. Citizens in BiH are not interested in the possibility of Dodik withdrawing from the path of war politics, but in his obligation to do so, even if it requires coercion by the United States of America. Without forcing Dodik to abandon his secessionist policy, and politics in general, the claim that there will be no war falls into the realm of wishful thinking," the statement reads.

It is obvious that this was also understood by the High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt, who in his appearance on BBC openly called out Milorad Dodik as the main culprit for the current situation in BiH, they emphasize, and who called on the international community not to look favorably on his moves, opening the possibility of using the Bonn powers.

"That Schmidt's intervention is encouraging and we fully support it. We believe that his attitude towards the current crisis will have an encouraging impact on other international officials whose good intentions we do not doubt. Primarily, we refer to the European Union, which, we believe, after Dodik's recent international meetings, is clear that he has allies in those forces that are destructive towards it as well. His defeat is also their defeat. In the fight against extremism, both domestically and internationally, they will have a sincere ally in the parties of the Troika," they state.