Ruling coalition and Nermin's dance: When they are warm, they find a good rhythm

By: Amina Čorbo-Zećo

The fact is that the atmosphere of agreement and conversation has returned, that we are keeping a certain rhythm, which I consider very important, even when we do not agree on all the things we think can and should be agreed upon, said Nermin Nikšić, president of the SDP, today.

Although this statement looks more like it describes Žika's dance rather than a meeting of a coalition at the state level of a country that wants to join the European Union, we understand Nikšić's need for rhythm... However, it was not cold for them in Mostar, they had heating, so they replaced their moaning about the cold with talk of a pleasant atmosphere.

And just like in Žika's dance, 'his field is large, and his property is small,' so looks the coalition made up of HDZ, SNSD, SDP, NIP, and Our Party, 'their desires are great, and their capabilities are small.'

And now, jokes aside, speaking in this language about rhythm and atmosphere while deadlines are quickly passing causes nausea in most citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Putting aside the fact that it is indeed difficult to negotiate with HDZ and SNSD, but all of them knew this except for the parties gathered in the Trojka, who celebrated for days and months the overthrow of 'a throne' embodied in the 'hated' SDA. In Vučić's style - they are to blame, and look how they were, the Trojka forgets that they are in power with HDZ and SNSD, who are the former ones, and for whose blackmail policies they have no recipe.

And why don't people believe them today that the year hasn't been wasted, no matter how much Dragan Čović tries to say that it's not over yet. Precisely because, from the moment they, as they like to boast, formed the fastest Council of Ministers in history, the Trojka parties have been assuring us that they are a breath of fresh air, that negotiations, agreements, and compromises will bear fruit. Because, logically, the SDA is gone, and now everything is easier.

When the devil doesn't lie!

Milorad Dodik and Dragan Čović claim they cannot be tougher. Demands are coming one after another, most of them contrary to the demands of the European Union, which we so want to join.

And the public in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been waiting for Nermin Nikšić's promised apology since January 2023. It is becoming increasingly clear that he still does not want to admit that his partners Dragan Čović and Milorad Dodik are far from ready to work, but, well, it is important that they have a rhythm.

"Dragan Čović and Milorad Dodik have shown readiness to work, cooperate, and reach agreements. We must not kill this opportunity. If it turns out we are wrong - we will apologize and withdraw," Nikšić said in January 2023.

And so we have been waiting for an apology for almost two years, which will not come.

Perhaps they have indeed invested a lot in compromise and talks on that path (we know this from the positions ceded to SNSD and HDZ cadres), but it is evident that the third party has taken this as a green light to do whatever they want and choose only what suits them from the agenda.

Fortunately, the Trojka can still resort to the well-tried recipe in defense called SDA, so they are invoicing the SDA's cantonal prime ministers for the Growth Plan, not even admitting that the Growth Plan can be sent to Brussels without the permission of the cantonal prime ministers, because Čović absolutely does not want that – logically, because tomorrow he will resort to that mechanism, not of coordination, but a mechanism of blockade. This is how that famous mechanism was conceived, in which even the local community is not playing the role of the state.

But, every problem is easier to solve with rhythm and a good atmosphere.

However, this does not make things easier for the citizens, nor for the state of BiH. It is slowly becoming apparent, and in the most painful way, how dangerous it was to enter into the formation of a coalition with SNSD and HDZ, even though it was not necessary.

That is why now all that is left for Nikšić and his Elmedin Konaković and Edin Forto is to maintain the rhythm and say it's good – we're talking again! As if the citizens of BiH benefit from talking.