Zvizdić after Berlin: There are no ethnically pure territories in BiH and no border changes in the Balkans

SARAJevo, (Patria) - After returning from Berlin, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH Denis Zvizdić held a press conference, and he clearly stated that at this important meeting, any idea of new borders in the Western Balkans, especially along ethnic lines, was rejected. 

Zvizdić participated in the Western Balkans summit at the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, along with the presidents and prime ministers of the region's countries: Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Croatia, North Macedonia, and Albania.

“Before leaving, I said I was going to Berlin to tell the truth about the situation in BiH, and I did. The best thing about such conferences is that one or two people who later spin the public do not attend, but rather 20 or 30 people attend these conferences, and everything is transparent,” said Zvizdić.

He stated that everything he said was based on adopted laws, strategies, and reforms. Responding to a question about Aleksandar Vučić saying that the conclusions they signed regarding the prohibition of drawing new borders, Zvizdić said:

“Merkel and Macron spoke about these conclusions simultaneously. If someone thinks their conclusions are not important, they should say so publicly,” Zvizdić pointed out.

The Prime Minister of BiH stated that he said at the meeting that two processes are developing in the Western Balkans region.

“The process of Euro-Atlantic integration, development of reforms and economic prosperity, and on the other hand, we are witnessing negative trends that threaten the achieved level of peace and stability, so I cannot say that the situation is better than five or six months ago. Thus, I said that we are against drawing new borders, especially along ethnic lines or exchanging territories on an ethnic principle. These ideas did not come from BiH, because it is completely clear that redrawing borders would lead to a precedent, and we know what happened in the 90s,” said Zvizdić.

He emphasized that at the end of the meeting, it was clearly stated that the issue of drawing borders along ethnic lines has been permanently removed.

“When we spoke about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, I presented the positions, and they are easy to verify. I said that BiH has not recognized Kosovo because there is no consensus in the BiH Presidency, which leads foreign policy. I said that BiH institutions will decide on this, not someone outside BiH. That BiH, unlike its neighbors, does not want to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, that we will support what they agree upon among themselves, but that it must not have consequences in the region, especially not for BiH. 

I particularly emphasized that some complain that these conferences are the hardest for them; I said that it is hardest for BiH, because only here do we have politicians who connect two unrelated things: Republika Srpska and Kosovo, and publicly threaten that if Kosovo gets a seat in the UN, there will be a referendum on the secession of Republika Srpska,” added Zvizdić.

The Chairman of the Council of Ministers condemned the behavior of those who draw new territories across sovereign countries and attach these territories to the map of Serbia. 

“There are no ethnically pure territories in BiH. It is not true that there is one ethnically pure area that could in any way be separated from this territory. Why can't we live together because of six or seven politicians? I am the first to support compromise and extending a hand, not creating spin,” emphasized Zvizdić, pointing out that it is not normal for it to be written that BiH has recognized Kosovo.

“Such information cannot be published on some portal in the east to cause tensions,” said Zvizdić, asking journalists to publish any statement in which he interfered in the internal affairs of Serbia or Croatia.

He added that he invited Plenković and Vučić to sign border agreements, as they did with Montenegro. 

“If we are true neighbors, we will do this, and if not, then I think there are some hidden agendas,” added Zvizdić.

Zvizdić said that he requested that BiH be granted candidate status due to the work done in the past four years, and it is possible that it will be approved at the end of the year or the beginning of the next.