President of the Republic: Three Members in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Are Envisioned so that Each People Elects its own Member
In his statement to the media after participating in the Austrian World Summit, the President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović commented on his meeting yesterday with Milorad Dodik, member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency from the Republic of Srpska.
Regarding reactions from Bosnia and Herzegovina to his meeting with Milorad Dodik and the claim that the Croats as a constituent people should not exist, he said: “I spoke with Bakir Izetbegović and invited him to come to Zagreb whenever he wants to. I hope he’ll come and that he won’t give in to public opinion and the fuss. “I’m the president of Croatia and I’m not just interested in the status of Croats, but the situation in a country that is a neighbour and that was structured in 1995 in a not ideal way. Nevertheless, some fundamental rights are being breached and I have unfortunately heard that the individuals who are doing this are intentionally breaching the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement that was signed and accepted twenty-five years ago, arguing that there are no constituent peoples.”
“I would like it to be like that in some ideal world, but it is not so. Croatia is the State of the Croatian people, but we have a system of protection of minorities. In Croatia it’s impossible for those who are not part of a minority to vote for the representatives of this minority until they declare themselves as such. Therefore, we protect that. “Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina are not a minority but are in the minority in terms of numbers, which is why it’s easy to abuse them. This has been happening for the past fifteen years, and lately very openly, even directly,” President Milanović remarked.
“I’ll ask a question that I haven’t heard anyone ask lately – why does Bosnia and Herzegovina have a three-member Presidency according to Dayton, namely from the ranks of the Serbs, the Bosniaks and the Croats? So that one people can elect two members, let’s say the Serbs two or the Bosniaks two? That’s what’s happening now and that is the root of the disagreement. Therefore, three members in the Presidency in Bosnia and Herzegovina are envisaged so that each of the constituent peoples can elect its own representative. It’s not perfect, but that’s the way it is. Otherwise only one member would be elected in the Presidency, but that’s not how it is. This example demonstrates on a purely basic logical level how wrong some people are and to what extent they are abusing the situation because they are able to and because they’re picking on the smallest community”, he warned.
He also told reporters that he speaks with those who represent someone and who have been elected in a recognized democratic process. “Mr. Dodik is an interlocutor just like Mr. Bakir Izetbegović, who is president of the largest Bosniak party and that’s a fact. We’re here to talk and not for the politics of Bosnia and Herzegovina to be implemented by officials and diplomats of medium rank contrary to imperfect stipulations of Dayton. That’s what is happening in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, the President noted.
“One hundred years ago the fate of Europe was decided by the superpowers in Versailles, and now Embassy officials are publicly talking about a revision of Dayton. And for Croatia to keep quiet during that time? No way! Those who elected Mr. Komšić and think that is legitimate are wrong. It’s a lack of elementary fair play and no threats will change anything. Croatia will not, at least I won’t, and I see that the Prime Minister has a similar view – will not keep quiet and stay on the sidelines”, President Milanović underlined.
The President also said that he wanted to speak with the representatives of the three constituent peoples because they exist. “Now at least we have heard that people are thinking and are doing it – abolishing the Dayton Peace Agreement. I can imagine better solutions than the Dayton Agreement, but at the moment that’s what we have. No one is discussing with Mr. Dodik. No one is conducting such politics. Mr. Dodik was elected, he has, what is important to me, not done any wrongdoing in Croatia during the war, to say so. There are many things I don’t agree with him and I told him so, but we are talking. I have known him for years, as Prime Minister my priorities were different, but now I see this as my duty”, he concluded.
When asked by reporters to comment on the investigation and arrests in the case of Janaf, the President said he did not have any information.