Željana Zovko breaks the laws of physics, simultaneously lives in Split and Mostar, and is actually in Brussels

Journalist of Split's Slobodna Dalmacija Vladimir Matijanić discovered that Željana Zovko, an HDZ member who replaced Davor Ivo Stier in the European Parliament when he became Croatia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, has not only two citizenships – Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian, which is not unusual – but also two registered residences: in Split, at Domovinskog rata Street 17, and in Mostar, at Kralja Tomislava Street 11e.

In addition, Matijanić further reminds, "Zovko represents Croatia in Brussels, which would mean that, according to official data, she is overturning the hitherto very firm belief that one person cannot be in two places at the same time. Before replacing Stier, Zovko was the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Italy.".

An email recently arrived at the editorial office of Slobodna Dalmacija with the claim that Zovko has a "false residence" at Domovinskog rata Street. At the time, Zovko categorically denied the falsity of the registration and said that at that address, which was also listed on her candidate list for the 2014 European Parliament elections, she lives with relatives. However, it has now been discovered that she simultaneously has a residence in Mostar.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, "a citizen of the Republic of Croatia who also has foreign citizenship is considered a Croatian citizen by the authorities of the Republic of Croatia.

According to Article 2 of the Residence Act, residence is the place and address in the Republic of Croatia where a person has permanently settled to exercise their rights and obligations related to life interests such as family, professional, economic, social, cultural, and other interests.

It is evident that a citizen cannot permanently live at two addresses simultaneously, i.e., in two places in the Republic of Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina," the Ministry of Internal Affairs believes.

Zovko, however, does not share their opinion. Journalist Matijanić asked about the residence in Mostar.

– I had a residence there in the family apartment.

Do you still have it?

– I haven't deregistered. Where you pay taxes, that's where your residence is. In BiH, you are not obliged to deregister, it's not like in Croatia.

Okay, but you still have a Mostar ID card?

– What was I supposed to do, return my ID card? I don't understand what you mean, I am registered in Brussels.

You cannot have two residences.

– I had a residence in Mostar when I worked for BiH, now my residence is in Croatia. There is no obligation to deregister, I am not claiming any rights in BiH. That's the law of BiH. I don't know what we are talking about. Should I return my passport?

Do you also have a passport from Bosnia and Herzegovina?

– I am still a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is that a problem? – Zovko asked, although the topic of conversation was not her citizenship, but her residence.

The Law on Residence and Stay of BiH Citizens states that a BiH citizen is not obliged to deregister their residence in that country if they do not intend to permanently settle in the country "where they are currently staying and if they maintain an effective connection with BiH.".

Matijanić writes that it is not known into which of these categories Zovko falls: she is not currently staying in Croatia, but resides there permanently, and in BiH, according to her own admission, she does not exercise any rights. Moreover, the police of the country she represents in the European Parliament believe that Zovko cannot have two residences.

- This was the story about Željana Zovko, a woman who is everywhere – concludes Matijanić.