Dunovic: The aim of the Coalition is dissolution of the country

Vice President of FBiH Milan Dunovic spoke to us about the current political situation, compliance with the constitution of FBiH, the referendum in RS and the continued obstacles he comes across in the executive power as the representative of Democratic Front.

PATRIA: Lately, we have been hearing more and more of notions about fusion of cantons i.e. 'restructuring' of FBiH under the banner of downsizing administration. How do you view such announcements and is there some kind of ulterior motive behind that concept?

DUNOVIC: 'Restructuring' of FBiH as the topic has been greatly exploited lately; I think that those who initiated it are aimed at realization of their war goals as well as 'rounding off' of their ethnically clean territories. In today's political life in both Federation BiH and the RS, there is very little talk about the citizens and their needs. National leaders, as the presidents of national parties refer to themselves, consider that their obligation of political action consists of protection of vital national interests of the people, but only the people they belong to by birth. They think, talk and act as if Bosnia and Herzegovina is the state in which there exist only collective rights of the peoples, but not the citizen rights, and those of neighbors and others who strive for basic needs on daily basis.   

The aforementioned leaders now, on behalf of all of us, the citizens of FBiH, take the liberty to explain to us how they have to pursue 'restructuring' in order to downsize the administration. None of them dares to be honest and say that the proposal of reducing number of cantons to create so-called mega cantons has nothing to do with reduction of administration and better functioning of FBiH. What we have here is the plan of HDZ to establish an administrative unit in which members of BiH Presidency would be elected in the way that suits HDZ, in which management of public companies would be uninational, with public administration manned by political party favorites etc. Whether such administrative unit is called 'Herzeg-Bosnia' or 'Mega canton' is irrelevant when it is clear to everyone that we are talking about the third entity.

PATRIA: It is clear who 'wears pants' in the existing coalition of SDA, SBB and HDZ BiH. Nevertheless, one cannot help but wonder if Covic's idea will pass without a strong opinion of 'Bosniak unity'. We could even say that the idea met a certain amount of approval by the SDA President Bakir Iztetbegovic.

DUNOVIC: It is clear that HDZ is the creator of the idea of FBiH's 'restructuring' as that is in concurrence with the politics they have lately campaigned for. However, what I consider to be a big problem and a big U-turn as regards the vision for the future of BiH is the fact that aspirations for the third entity have found a fertile ground in the political Sarajevo. More precisely, when I say that, I think of a large part of SDA that accepts our only country to be divided into three pieces, but I also think of SBB which has to fulfill only one task that is, to engage its media and voting machinery to support SDA in satisfying Covic's needs. I say media and voting machinery on purpose, because they complement one another. A large part of SDA and SBB voters do not want any division, either of Federation BiH into two entities or further dividing of BiH for that matter.

What they are trying to do now is to brutally control thinking of your average patriotic voter, primarily those from the Bosniak corps. That I consider to be the goal of the 'Bosniak unity', which ultimately fulfills Covic's wishes.

As the Vice President of FBiH, I will never agree to any divisions on national basis. I reckon that BiH citizens understand that calls for national division, which are so neatly packed up together with the reforms, are not our future. I sincerely hope that more and more of BiH citizens will open up their eyes, take the democratic road and, by virtue of their own vote, prevent from further divisions that may be imposed upon us.  

I will always be pro reforms, the administration downsizing, a better business environment, a better educational system, but I will never be for nonconstitutional laws hidden behind reforms, or a growing administration due to hiring of politically suitable people to serve as highly positioned state officials, introduction of new taxes for private sector and tax evasion. The FBiH government does not apply laws to some companies that are 'close to them'. They make decisions in favor of two schools under one roof. I categorically say NO to all such initiatives and I will persevere in that.

PATRIA: You find yourself in a peculiar situation – you are a vice president even though DF is no longer in the government, and SBB is in the coalition. How is your relationship with FBiH President Marinko Cavara (HDZ BiH) and vice president Melika Mahmutbegovic (SDA)? Do you meet on a regular basis and what do you talk about?

DUNOVIC: I have to admit that functioning in such a manner is quite a challenge. Political life in Bosnia and Herzegovina for years could be defined as 'taking care of business' via party colleagues in the executive power. As much as it may sound strange, I think that, the fact that I'm the only DF official at an executive power in BiH, has accelerated my political growth. I had neither time nor space not to get focused on my job. I come across various obstructions, the lack of respect for my political views by the members of the government FBiH and its prime minister, political traps and the lack of correctness in fulfilling everyday tasks. The fact that I have so far, within just a year and a half, filed 7 requests for evaluation of constitutional compliance to the Constitutional court - speaks for itself.

In Federation, violation of the constitution has become common and nobody suffers consequences for it. I'm often referred to as 'the reform stopper' due to all the appeals that I have submitted to the constitutional court. The bottom line is that I'm the only one, out of 6 authorized persons who can appeal (president and two vice presidents of FBiH, prime minister and two sous prime ministers of FBiH government) who is trying to point at violation of the FBiH Constitution, because I think it is unacceptable that we live in the 21st century by the principle of political force and over voting at any cost. This, in a way, answers the part of your question relating to my relationship with colleagues Cavara and Mahmutbegovic. The politics is the art of possible so I endeavor to have operational matters which require approvals from all of us – done well and within set deadlines.   

As for the other things, I have to admit that my commitment to the Constitution of FBiH has not been recognized by them as something positive. On the other hand, I understand yet I do not accept that, those are not their personal views but the views of their party leaders. I don't have any such problem as Zeljko Komsic, DF President, considers compliance with the Constitution something that must be above party politics and goals. That is an added value to my work that I draw pleasure from, to work in this way, along with the fact that DF is the party which proves with every move it makes that the interest of the country is always above the interest of an individual and of a party.  

PATRIA: Coalition in FBiH has come to the breaking point due to the issues such as betting laws, forestry laws... Do you think it has to do with personal interests or something else?

DUNOVIC: All of that! You cannot build a prosperous society on the basis of principle of mistrust, fulfillment of party and personal interests, over voting, calls to national endangerment and alike. I think that the partnership has never even existed simply because there is no nation-building common denominator of the coalition partners that are currently in power. As a matter of fact, there's nothing but a desire to dominate economically and nationally over those who differ from them. Even bigger problem is to answer the question what to do in case this coalition becomes stable. Stability is built around common ideas. I think they will soon be united (immediately after the elections) around a common goal – a complete dissolution of the country and a foul sale of all the state assets. It is then that we shall feel the stability of this coalition.

PATRIA: How do you comment the issue of referendum in the RS? What is the position of Serbs in FBiH in that regard? Is there any pressure by the RS on Serbs who e.g. live in Sarajevo?

DUNOVIC: With regard to referendum, I'm much concerned about the attempt to destroy the Constitutional court. The treatment of its decisions are quite antidayton. Local media get to discuss decisions of the court. The Constitutional court has made the decision and there's nothing further to be said on the matter. There is no higher level that can re-asses that. That's the way it is and the decisions have to be implemented.

Politically speaking, the RS negates the existence of Serbs in Federation BiH. The government of the RS in no way attempts to exert a positive influence on cultural, economic or any other aspect of life of Serb citizens of FBiH. I'm also considered illegitimate representative of Serbs in FBiH, something that I have confirmed on several occasions – there are no representatives of peoples so there are no representatives of Serbs in FBiH. I was selected to serve as vice-president of FBiH through a legal procedure, from Serb people. My constitutional obligation is to represent all citizens of FBiH, not only Serbs. The members of Presidency BiH are not only representatives of peoples and they violate the Constitution BiH daily when they say that they are representatives of one people. One has to be clear about that. By applying democratic procedures, we have to make them start doing their job that they are well paid to do.