Why does Dodik want to be a greater Croat than Čović?

By Enver Išerić

After "winning" the title of the greatest Serb, Milorad Dodik is taking big steps to "win" the title of the greatest Croat as well. He is trying to achieve this second title by advocating for the rights of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, in his opinion, are threatened. Thus, he stated for the DEPO portal (29.12.2021.):

“Muslims have trapped themselves in the claim that if Croats are given the right to elect their own, Croatian representative to the Presidency, it means a third entity, and they are supposedly against a third entity. And I still think that without a third entity, there is no Bosnia and Herzegovina. I think it would be fair. And everything can be agreed upon. But Muslims intend to outvote, and Bakir Izetbegović openly says this, not only in the Presidency, but now also in the House of Peoples, which means they are not there as a political people.”

For the umpteenth time in his public appearances, Milorad Dodik calls Bosniaks Muslims, and he does so deliberately, persistently, and provocatively. As a response to his provocations, I could call Milorad Dodik an Orthodox Christian, and as Matija Bećković says, "we will fight it out." But this is neither in the letter nor in the spirit of Dayton. The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina recognizes neither Muslims, nor Orthodox Christians, nor Catholics. Therefore, this is unconstitutional behavior. Besides, if I were to call Dodik himself an Orthodox Christian, in response to his calling Bosniaks Muslims, I fear I might make a mistake and thus offend true Orthodox believers, because what Dodik is doing is contrary to the principles of all known and recognized religions.

Furthermore, Dodik advocates for a third entity. And for a third entity, at least openly and publicly, not even Dragan Čović, or the political leadership of Bosnian Croats, advocates. So, Mr. Dodik, if you are serious about this, why don't you propose that we form a third entity in the area of the existing entity of RS? I would support you in that. And it would be in proportion and proportional to the census. Or do you have another plan? Dodik also supports the Croats' demand for "legitimate representation in the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the House of Peoples of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. That is why I ask Milorad Dodik, was the election of Mr. Mladen Ivanić as a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the general elections held in 2014 legitimate?

If it was legitimate, I ask the question - how was Mladen Ivanić's election legitimate, if all citizens who exercise their voting rights in the entity of RS (Serbs, Bosniaks, Croats, and Others) voted for him, and were the votes of Bosniaks, Croats, and Others perhaps decisive for Mladen Ivanić's election? One cannot establish one set of rules regarding "legitimacy" and "legitimate representation" in one entity and another in another entity. Besides, the solutions by which members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina are elected are contained in the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and can only be changed by amending the Constitution. And to amend the Constitution, a procedure must be carried out in the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.

In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the issue of abuse of national affiliation of candidates for the House of Peoples should be prevented, and this also resolves the issue of legitimate representation of Croats in the House of Peoples, because all Croats elected to cantonal assemblies must have the right to run for delegate to the House of Peoples, regardless of their political party. These are standards, rules, principles of electoral law, as well as norms of international law. Anything else would be discrimination and contrary to international human rights documents.

Therefore, I emphasize that everyone has the right to propose changes to the current Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but no one has the right to threaten anything if their proposals are not accepted in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discussions and negotiations should be held on all issues, but not on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our homeland, but any solution must be in accordance with international law, i.e., international documents that guarantee human rights.

First of all, it is necessary to discuss the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (Sejdić-Finci and other judgments). Why, Mr. Dodik, are you disrupting the traditionally good relations between Bosniaks and Croats with your behavior? Are you doing this in an effort to present Bosnia and Herzegovina as an "impossible state" and strengthen your desires for the secession of RS? Wasn't it enough that the political leadership of Bosnian Serbs in 1993, in order to more easily achieve their war goals (creation of Greater Serbia), caused an armed conflict between Croats and Bosniaks? I am sure that you will not succeed in this anymore.

By advocating for the rights of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you are humiliating the entire Croatian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially their political leadership, which is currently headed by Dragan Čović.

It would be desirable for you to advocate for the return of Croats and Bosniaks to the entity of RS and ensure them all rights that belong to them according to the Constitution, including employment in public institutions, as well as the right to their language. Focus your energy on useful things, Mr. Dodik. This way, you are needlessly wasting it and causing harm to all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

You also, Mr. Dodik, advocate for a "sovereign Republic of Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina." You also want to present yourself as a defender, not a destroyer, of the Constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina. You repeat these mantras day after day, wanting to turn a lie into truth. You will not succeed in that either, because what you are doing is very clear, and what you are saying is very transparent.

And finally, I want to emphasize that the Serbian people had and have top legal experts, world-renowned theorists, and none of them has so far constructed the concept of "independence of a part of a sovereign state within that same state." It seems that you and Mr. Radmanović, who also, according to "Slobodna Bosna," advocates for the same thing, have surpassed them in legal theory, even though, as far as I know, you have not studied law.