Denis Zvizdic for Patria: I've come to Belgrade on behalf of the country and not only one nation

When it comes to relations between BiH and Serbia, our priorities are peace and stability, more frequent and more constructive dialogue, economy, infrastructure projects and European integration, Denis Zvizdic, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers told Patria. He is currently in his official visit to Belgrade.

During his meeting with Serbia's Prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, Zvizdic agreed on several important short-term and mid-term projects.

- One of the projects will focus on building a fast road from Sarajevo to Belgrade. In the next 30 days, we will define the route; there's dilemma if the road should go via Tuzla and Bijeljina or via Gorazde and Visegrad. We will also aim at connecting Sarajevo and Belgrade by railway.

In addition, the government of Serbia has endorsed the Council of Ministers' and my initiative to found a regional center for Erasmus+, for students, professors and members of the state administration, to ensure a greater mobility, exchanges, financing by EU. We rendered our support to the Tourist Forum held in Belgrade last January, and both sides also agreed to have a joint presentation at the tourist fairs in the Middle East, Zvizdic said.

The Chairman of the Council of Ministers says that he very much appreciates Vucic's statement about respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH, as well as the policy of not interfering in the internal issues of BiH.

- That's how a distance is created from all those who have been sanctioned due to their permanent antidayton activities, such as Milorad Dodik, Zvizdic emphasized. Asked what kind of distance he referred to when Vucic originally stated he would not endorse sanctions against Dodik, by which he sent a message of supporting antidayton activities himself, Zvizdic answered:

- I think they are all awaiting reactions from the EU and its leading countries. Others will define their own response on that basis. Generally speaking, it is not good to send such message to potential foreign investors, that someone from BiH is under sanctions, but it was expected that sanctions would follow after Dodik's secessionist rhetoric.

Zvizdic also said that there was no mention of BiH accession to NATO and fulfilling related conditions. Yet, he emphasized during the discussions that 'generally, Euro Atlantic integrations are the most important for our country'.

- We dedicated lots of time, last evening during informal hours, and during official talks today, to the topic of improvement and creating better relations between Bosniaks and Serbs. Those relationships are very important, but they also include the third constituent people being the Croats. Vucic and I agreed that it is necessary to calm the tensions, to quit with radical rhetoric. Facts about the past must be based on truth, but we have to start opening the doors of the region to the future.

During our talks, and subsequently at press conference, I emphasized that we are not talking about the relations between Serbs and Bosniaks, but between two countries. They tend to look at it from the point of view that, in BiH live 1 million Serbs, and in Serbia about 400 – 500,000 Bosniaks. However, I said it very clearly and repeatedly that I came on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, that I'm the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and not one people. The relations within BiH among Serbs, Bosniaks, Croats and all others who live in this country, have to be relaxed. Guarantors of peace in the region are three states – BiH, Serbia and Croatia, and if they happen to find a common denominator, peace and stability will be guaranteed, and chances for a stronger economic development will grow, Zvizdic thinks.

Revision of lawsuit against Serbia

- That question was not formally and officially posed, but from our informal talks it was evident that there were aware that our agent would do that, in case of new evidence, Zvizdic said.