"Bosnia should be federal state"

Leader of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia (HDZ BiH) Dragan Covic said that this country could only survive as a federal state. He said he supported the idea of a Croatian entity and the city of Mostar as its capital. "Bosnia should be federal state" Covic told for Nezavisne novine daily that there were Bosniak political parties which understood this was the only solution for survival of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Speaking about the election of Zeljko Komsic from Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the Croatian member of the Bosnian Presidency, Covic said that it was the biggest blow to Bosnia since Dayton. "There were similar attempts to influence the elections for the Serbian seat in the Presidency, and they almost succeeded. It is so outrageously brutal that I will openly say I have not seen a better organized attack on Bosnia than this one by the SDP", Covic said. He says that "if the spirit of Dayton, a spirit of equality, is not satisfied, then Bosnia as a state is doomed." "The only future Bosnia has is a future of the country with three constitutionally equal nations. Everyone can clearly see that three federal units must exist, or four as arranged during the talks in Prud, it does not matter. Anyone who thinks otherwise, with the concept of a unitary state in mind, absolutely condemns Bosnia and Herzegovina to destruction", Covic said. He believes that federalization is the only right solution. "It is high time we federalized Bosnia, if we want to go with the EU and preserve our country. We shall never talk about the dissolution of the RS, because the RS is a reality", Covic stated. The point is, Covic said, that no one can dissolve the RS, because that is not what the Serbian people wants. Commenting on the announcement that the SDP leader Zlatko Lagumdzija would be Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Covic said Lagumdzija was bluffing, because he knew that it could not and would not happen. "This is one big play, to extort certain concessions”, Covic claimed. "Fundamentally, this is about the Bosnian Constitution, which needs to be changed to accept the reality of the RS. When it comes to the Serbian people and the demands of the Croatian people, in the end, believe me, there will be three entities - the Serbian that we already have, the Croatian based in Mostar and a Bosniak entity, and then reaching an agreement among us would not be difficult", Covic concluded.

"Bosnia should be federal state"

Čović told for Nezavisne novine daily that there were Bosniak political parties which understood this was the only solution for survival of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Speaking about the election of Željko Komšić from Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the Croatian member of the Bosnian Presidency, Čović said that it was the biggest blow to Bosnia since Dayton.

"There were similar attempts to influence the elections for the Serbian seat in the Presidency, and they almost succeeded. It is so outrageously brutal that I will openly say I have not seen a better organized attack on Bosnia than this one by the SDP", Čović said.

He says that "if the spirit of Dayton, a spirit of equality, is not satisfied, then Bosnia as a state is doomed."

"The only future Bosnia has is a future of the country with three constitutionally equal nations. Everyone can clearly see that three federal units must exist, or four as arranged during the talks in Prud, it does not matter. Anyone who thinks otherwise, with the concept of a unitary state in mind, absolutely condemns Bosnia and Herzegovina to destruction", Čović said.

He believes that federalization is the only right solution. "It is high time we federalized Bosnia, if we want to go with the EU and preserve our country. We shall never talk about the dissolution of the RS, because the RS is a reality", Čović stated. The point is, Čović said, that no one can dissolve the RS, because that is not what the Serbian people wants.

Commenting on the announcement that the SDP leader Zlatko Lagumdžija would be Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Čović said Lagumdžija was bluffing, because he knew that it could not and would not happen. "This is one big play, to extort certain concessions”, Čović claimed.

"Fundamentally, this is about the Bosnian Constitution, which needs to be changed to accept the reality of the RS. When it comes to the Serbian people and the demands of the Croatian people, in the end, believe me, there will be three entities - the Serbian that we already have, the Croatian based in Mostar and a Bosniak entity, and then reaching an agreement among us would not be difficult", Čović concluded.