Konaković Rejects Separate Electoral Unit for Croats
BiH's Foreign Minister also criticized the Croatian Parliament's resolution, stating there will be no third entity or new electoral units.
BiH's Foreign Minister also criticized the Croatian Parliament's resolution, stating there will be no third entity or new electoral units.
Elmedin Konaković, the Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, once again rejected the idea of creating a separate electoral district for the election of the Croatian member of the BiH Presidency. In an interview with N1 television, he said that, as usual, unrealistic stories about political projects lacking real support intensify before elections.
"There is no third entity, no new electoral units," Konaković stated, reiterating his earlier claim that Bosniaks in BiH are the ones "who suffer." He described the issue of electing the Croatian member of the Presidency as legitimate but argued that "everything else is overly favorable to Croats."
Konaković also criticized the Croatian Parliament's July resolution on strengthening the political position of Croats in BiH, calling it a blatant interference in BiH's internal affairs. "The Croatian Parliament's resolution encroaches on BiH's sovereignty, regardless of Croatia's right to care for Croats in BiH," he said.
He emphasized that during the negotiations in Neum in 2022, with the mediation of the US and the EU, they were close to a solution similar to the American electoral college system, and expressed regret that a final agreement was not reached at that time.
Konaković believes that after the elections scheduled for October 4, it will be possible to form a government without Milorad Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), and also without HDZ BiH if necessary. If HDZ BiH insists on including Dodik's party in the government, everything should be done to ensure that neither party is part of it, he stated.
He assessed as highly risky the scenario in which the new government would consist of the three largest national parties: HDZ, SNSD, and SDA. He praised the Croatian authorities for their generous support of BiH on its path to the EU and expressed hope that the good cooperation between the two countries would continue in their mutual interest.
