Leader of the Croatian National Assembly /HNS/ BiH, Dragan Covic, said today in Mostar that it is high time for the reorganisation of BiH, and that providing institutional equality of Croats in BiH by amending the Election Law and BiH’s European path are this year’s primary objectives.
During HNS’ session in Mostar, Covic emphasized that the HDZ BiH and the HNS had obliged their representatives in the government to adopt the documents, which will define deadlines for current and next year when it comes to the Euro-Atlantic path of BiH, including its reorganisation.
He has noted that BiH needs reorganisation in order not to be a hostage of poor organisation, which cannot respond to the efforts in binding with the world when it comes to the European integrations.
“From now on it may not occur to anybody to choose either a presidency member or delegates in the House of Peoples for us in 2018, including the executive power without Croat representatives. In addition to providing institutional equality, the European path is a primary task,” said Covic.
He has pointed out that the federalization does not mean the creation of national states within BiH, but creating an ambient in which the equality of all three peoples in every region in BiH will be ensured, and the smallest in number will be protected; there is no need to have dilemma about it.
“BiH still has some form of federalism, thus I do not know why any indication of federalism would bother anyone since it already lives in a certain way. Dayton happened 25 years ago and we cannot keep it under the table. It is time to rationalize relations in BiH and, at the same time, to protect BiH from any division,” Covic said during his speech at the Parliament, which brought together a number of officials from the ranks of Croat people.
He has stressed that the year of 2017 must give a full answer to the institutional equality of the Croat people without prolonging it.
“Our institutional equality is in our hands, and we must not forget it,” said Covic.
He has noted that there would certainly be those who would not like it.
“There will be those who believe that internationals should remain in the Constitution Court of BiH. But, our status as a candidate country for EU membership obliges us to take responsibility for our own country,” said Covic.
He has said that the tensions must be lowered and called on the Croats, especially young people, to take responsibility and build their own BiH according to their taste.
The temptations that exist around us are emphasized due to the ambient in the world. Nowhere is better than living in your own country, and this is our country. We are a modern European BiH that the Croats will be a part of,” said Covic.
He has said that the Croats survived as a political nation, thanks to being organised through the HNS, and urged all to unity in a concreted stand in order to achieve priorities of the HNS this year.
Covic has said that the political situation is not more complicated today than five years ago, and pointed out that no decisions can be made today in BiH without the representative of the HNS, and that today, the legal and legitimate representatives of the Croat people decide the fate of their own nation.
He has noted that the current political situation should not be underestimated either from security, economic, demographic or social aspects.
“People are leaving BiH, as well as the neighboring countries. The population census showed that the Croats are minority throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. We have a special obligation towards our citizens. There are those who believe they can undermine our security and finish some things they started earlier through the flash activities,” said Covic.
He also said that this year is a year of a special temptation for the Croats and the representatives of the HNS.
“We must advocate the adoption of legal regulations at all levels that will follow what we were fighting for. The priority of all priorities is going to be cross-border cooperation of our counties with the counties in Croatia. We will be discussing all these issues the next few months with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and his team,” said Covic.
Speaking about the amendments to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the implementation of Sejdic-Finci decision, Covic said that the negotiations between the political parties are coming to an end.
“This year should give an answer to all above mentioned, so we will be able to turn to the reforms relieved and in peace,” Covic, who is satisfied with the current work of the HNS, said.
President of the General Council, Bozo Ljubic, has said that the HNS is a carrier of Croatian non-territorial autonomy in BiH, and stressed that the reorganisation of BiH, which will include a federal unit with a Croat majority, is a permanent goal which they will not give up on.
The Croatian National Assembly today reviewed and adopted the report by the leader of HNS BiH, Dragan Covic, on the work of Parliament between the two sessions, including the information by the President of the General Council of the HNS BiH, Bozo Ljubic, on the activities of this body over the past two years.
Source: Srna
