President Milanović: Would be Excellent if Izetbegović’s Visit to Zagreb Helps Resolve the Status of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended a formal session of the Bjelovar City Council on the occasion of Municipal Day and Defenders of Bjelovar Day, after which he took questions from reporters who again asked him about Dragan Kovačević’s private club.
“Questions can be posed to anyone, including me. Let’s not lose focus of what is important, and that is a serious scandal,” said President Milanović. “The Prime Minister is the head of Government, not just symbolically. He had to know,” the President reiterated, stressing that he must keep mentioning that because he is the President of the Republic. Asked if talks with the Prime Minister would be held, he replied: “I can’t force the Minister and the Prime Minister to hold talks with me. I’m not interested in when the elections will be held, or whether I will be a candidate. A positive trace must remain after me.”
The President emphasized that the (Security and Intelligence Agency) SOA could not have known that Janaf’s former boss, Dragan Kovačević, was under investigation. He also believes that the Prime Minister must have known about the investigation of Josip Rimac. “Of course he had to know that a prominent State Secretary was stealing money. The Prime Minister must know that. Let’s focus on those (countries) that are exemplary, especially their great judiciary, and on how they do things. That experience is built over the years, whereas in our country people act as if they were born yesterday,” said the President.
Speaking to reporters, President Milanović commented on the visit to Croatia by the First Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina: “Bakir Izetbegović was in Zagreb yesterday and that’s a good thing. Although, the arguments he put forward were interesting and amusing. If my initiative that started two weeks ago helps resolve the miserable status of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it would be excellent! I can completely remove myself from the picture. And if this turns out to be just another photo op, that isn’t good,” President Milanović warned.