SDA between rock and a hard place: We condemn SNSD and HDZ yet we partner with them

By: Amra Varatanovic

The negotiations between SDA, HDZ BiH and SNSD on forming government at the state level will continue in the coming week. Their latest meeting held on 18 March did not yield any particular conclusion except for that the negotiations would continue. At the same time, SDA has been negotiating with several other partners that are prepared to enter with them a joint government. SDA is somewhat weaker in that respect than its two partners which have already gathered around other parties.

As far as the state level is concerned, so far SDA have negotiated in their own name only. At the session of SDA's main board, more conclusions were adopted relating to SNSD and HDZ BiH. So, SDA requested the RS government (i.e. SNSD) to 'withdraw the medal awarded to Radovan Karadzic, and to change the name of the student house in Pale named after a war criminal indicted for genocide'.

And while SDA welcomes the repeated decision of the Constitutional court BiH about the 9th of January as 'unconstitutional', the RS, not only that they dismiss the court decision but they go even further by announcing that they will send an invitation to the celebration to Bakir Izetbegovic.

SDA resents the RS government for persistent attacks on the returnees, pressuring them to bring the attackers to the court and to take all necessary measures to suppress ethnic based hatred.

SDA's main board has also strongly condemned attempts to recreate the Croat community Herzeg-Bosnia authored by HDZ and Dragan Covic. Any such pursuits of further dividing BH territories was recently condemned by the United States Embassy in Sarajevo and the OHR.

And while SDA condemns these parties, at the same time they consider them their partners in the government. Asked if SDA is prepared to halt the negotiations should these parties continue to 'behave badly', president of SDA's main board, Cedomir Lukic said:

'In our talks with the representatives of HDZ and SNSD we tell them that we cannot support such activities. At the same time, we intend to form the government in BiH because a far greater damage could be done if the government is not formed... than if were to stop the talks for any reason', said Lukic.

Bakir Izetbegovic put together a statement with terms of action for Covic and Dodik, however, it has not been signed as yet. That Izetbegovic's coalition partner seem to have taken it quite lightly, proves Covic's statement that it is 'nothing special'.

Overall, the Statement says that its signatories will honor sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH as elements of its international subjectivity.

Whether this statement will be signed at all, we will all know after the next meeting of the delegations when portfolios will be determined in the Council of ministers.