Serbs get support from Croats

Serbs get support from Croats

Speaking of the so-called Bonn powers used by Office of the High Commissioner Mr. Valentin Inzko to impose the ban on the genocide negation, Grlić Radman said that that the Office of the High Representative has the right to use the Bonn powers, but assessed that their implementation represents a deficit of democracy that is incompatible with European ambitions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a place for experiments. I claim this not only as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia but also as someone who was born in Bosnia and whose family comes from Bosnia," said Grlić Radman, alluding to the Bonn powers of the High Representative to dismiss politicians and pass and repeal laws by decree.

The recent decision of the High Representative Valentin Inzko on the adoption of a law punishing the denial of genocide was assessed by Grlić Radman with restraint.

"The function of the High Representative allows the use of the Bonn powers, but the application represents a democratic deficit that is not in line with the European ambitions of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Grlić Radman said.

He strongly believes that the Bonn powers are a legal instrument, but also a "political-legal atavism". The Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs also rejected the idea of changing the Constitution through decrees.

"I believe that implementing constitutional models by decrees is not the solution," said Grlić Radman.

He also added that the centralist tendencies shown by some politicians from the Bosnian Federation are not the solution.

"A centralist approach in Bosnia and Herzegovina could lead to instability. The question is who would actually be the bearer of the Bosnian statehood if only the right of the numerically strongest constituent people were valid," said Grlić Radman.

He added that "certain forces" believe that they can turn the BiH Federation into a "centralist and unitarian Bosniak entity".

Croatian minister says Zagreb has been observing "open practice" of excluding Croats from the political decision-making process for many years.

"The process is also manifested by the fact that a part of Bosniak, when electing a three-member state presidency, chooses a candidate who is only a seemingly Croat candidate, but in real life represents Bosniak interests," states FAZ Grlić-Radman. "The numerical superiority of Bosniaks leads to the fact that the candidate supported by the majority of Croats has no chance," says Grlić-Radman.

He said that Croatia has been advocating for years for the reform of the election law, which would, for example, through the restructuring of constituencies, make it impossible for Croats in Bosnia to get re-elected during the election of the state presidency and parliament.

According to Grlić Radman, forming the third entity in addition to the Republic of Srpska and the Federation was not the question, but only to allow the Croats to elect their own representative and not being re-elected.

He stressed that support for such approach is "growing" within the EU and expressed optimism about Christian Schmidt's mandate.

"We are looking forward to cooperation with Christian Schmidt and we are sure that together with the EU and the USA, legitimate representatives of the constituent peoples will be encouraged to reach a compromise," Grlić Radman concluded in an interview with FAZ.

As a reminder, Christian Schmidt succeeded Inzko as a High Representative.

The Serbian member of the Presidency of BiH, Milorad Dodik, said that Schmidt has no legitimacy since his appointment was not in accordance with the procedure, therefore he cannot even present himself as a High Representative in that regard.

"We have no reason to believe in good intentions of anyone coming from that side. I hear that Schmidt says he is experienced, but we also have the experience that does not let us allow an illegitimate, unelected foreigner to bring binding decisions because that means the end of both the Republic of Srpska and our national identity in this area, "Dodik pointed out.

Also, Mr. Dodik decided not to attend the ceremony organized by Schmidt in Sarajevo on Monday.