There are more Croatian supermarkets in BiH than Bosnian products in Croatia

The official stance of the Republic of Croatia, led by HDZ, is that it will do everything to help Bosnia and Herzegovina on its European path. Such help for Bosnia and Herzegovina would not only be beneficial but is also necessary. It is always good to have someone you can rely on.

Besides support on the Euro-Atlantic path, there are other ways Croatia can help Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the context of the difficult economic situation in the country, help would be welcome through economic fairness. The situation is now such that Bosnia and Herzegovina increasingly resembles an exploitation zone of the Republic of Croatia. The difficult economic situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is partly caused by its neighbor.

Just through the Konzum retail chain, Croatia annually siphons hundreds of millions of KM from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have a single retail chain in Croatia. One could even cite the paradoxical fact that Croatia has more stores in BiH than there are Bosnian products on Croatian shelves.

Not to mention the property of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Croatia that Croatia has seized and does not allow its return to the homeland. Or not to mention the vast state property in BiH that Croatia privatized under suspicious circumstances.

Thus, Bosnia and Herzegovina still cannot take possession of property worth several hundred million euros in Croatia. This property, numerous hotels, motels, and resorts, is mostly located along the wealthy Adriatic coast. In Croatia, a decision by former President Franjo Tuđman is still in effect, under which BiH property in Croatia is treated almost as war booty. Bosnia and Herzegovina has returned all of Croatia's property here down to the last square meter.

It has never been clarified how Croatia's INA, in a consortium with Hungary's MOL, privatized the majority stake in BiH's oil company Energopetrol. Thanks to this suspicious privatization, supported by some local politicians, Croatia practically has the largest retail chain of petroleum derivatives in BiH.

Croatian Electric Power Company (HEP) has been extracting millions of KM from BiH for years for electricity production from the water of Buško Lake at the Orlovac hydroelectric plant, while giving only crumbs to the municipalities of Tomislavgrad and Livno in the form of concession fees.

The 2014 report of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Concession Commission states that Sarajevski kiseljak, one of the companies of the Agrokor concern, has been extracting larger quantities of water than stipulated by the contract for years, and does not even possess a water management permit for extracting this natural mineral water.

The situation with Agrokor has raised some questions. Now, understanding is being demanded from Bosnia and Herzegovina for this serious crisis, active participation in solving this problem is sought, and Bosnian officials are recklessly attacked for any ill-considered word in their statements.

The previous attitude towards BiH, marked by paternalism and belittlement, has turned into high demands and calls for participation in resolving the difficult situation in Agrokor. But BiH is also worried about the 4,200 employees in Konzum.

In any case, the Bosnian side must urgently sit down with Croatian partners. Perhaps it is time for equal and honest relations, because if Croatia continues to help BiH as it has so far, we will not be able to endure "that help" much longer.