Amina Čorbo Zećo

The difference between Milorad Dodik and Dragan Čović is almost non-existent. It exists only insofar as SDA officials (the Belgrade courier Safet Softić above all) want to 'warm up' relations with Croats (read HDZ)! Dodik blocks at one level - the state one, Čović blocks at another level - the entity one.

So there is no difference!

We tend to forget that, thanks solely to Čović, we have not formed the government in the Federation since the elections 2018, and we are preparing for the new ones.

The coalition gathered around the HDZ with about 18 percent of the votes won in the FBiH, and much less at the level of BiH, decides 100 percent on the fate of the state! All this indicates that Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a democratic country.

Political theory has yet to clearly define what the political system in BiH really is, but the fact is that the democracy has been abused here.

And now, right under the guise of democracy, the SDA is starting new negotiations, compromises are being announced in which nationalists are being strengthened, and there is less of state.

The key instrument for blockades and blackmail by the HDZ BiH are the Houses of Peoples at the entity and state levels. Thus, Dragan Čović's battle for legitimate representation has nothing to do with the fight for the living standard of Croats, but with the desire for a group of elected politicians to continue to reap all the benefits of participating in government.

Civic parties (SDP, DF…) won the battle in earlier negotiations, when it was made clear that there would be no negotiations until Dodik is stopped and BiH institutions are unblocked.

Intellectuals, political representatives of civic parties, have been warning since yesterday of all the harm that a 'compromise' announced by the SDA and HDZ could bring. It is clear to anyone knowledgeable about the political situation in BiH that Čović will not give anything, and a compromise in which the SDA would enable additional blockades through the House of Peoples would have unforeseeable consequences for the future of BiH.

The SDA does not seem willing to hear Adis Ahmetović, the Bundestag rapporteur for the Western Balkans, who clearly said that they are working on a five-point document where the SPD cooperates with the Liberals and the Greens, who make up the coalition government of Germany.

The most interesting detail is that the document will include the approach of the German government in the context of electoral reform, and according to Ahmetović, Germany will most likely support the status quo, that is, holding elections according to the current election rules.

Surely, this goes against what Matthew Palmer and Angelina Eichhorst support, and they have been working on this issue for months. However, in these circumstances, it is more than clear that one must not agree to the game.

‘Our position of the SPD, the largest faction in the Bundestag, we say that the Election Law must remain as it is’, said Ahmetović, emphasizing that the reform should be implemented only after the 2022 elections.

He added that Palmer and Eicchorst may have a mandate to negotiate but Germany will use its influence to keep the law as it is.

The SDA could have gained new strength (and argument) from this to issue a decisive NO to Čović, but they continued the game of 'warming up'.

First Bakir Izetbegović in Dubrovnik with Andrej Plenković, and after that Izetbegović's loyal staffers started with media statements that were contrary to the previous positions of the SDA. And that, according to our sources, without the knowledge of the Party Collegium. Some SDA staff members themselves, surprised by Softić's views, no longer know what to believe. Which Bakir is real? The one of a few months ago or the one that may have been ‘blackmailed’?!

In this sense, the SDA should not trade with the future of BiH, even if they are threatened with sanctions. In the past, it has been shown that many have sacrificed themselves for the sake of the state, one person is not more important than the system. HDZ is not invincible, it just needs political wisdom and less personal interest of key people in political parties.

In this sense, the SDA should not trade the future of BiH, even if they are threatened with sanctions. In the past, it has been shown that many of them have sacrificed themselves for the sake of the state, one person is not more important than the system. HDZ is not invincible, it just needs political wisdom and less personal interest of key people in political parties.