ČOVIĆ: ONLY AGREEMENT AMONG CONSTITUENT PEOPLES CAN ENSURE BiH'S FUNCTIONALITY

MOSTAR, DECEMBER 15 /SRNA/ – The President of the Croatian National Assembly (HNS) Dragan Čović has stated today that the moment is being prepared to open negotiations on the future of BiH, stressing that leaders of the three constituent peoples must have an urgent dialogue and seek solutions, as BiH cannot function in its current form.

"Legitimate representatives of the three peoples will have to sit at the table and agree on solutions so that no one else brings decisions for us or steers BiH according to the needs of those who exert influence over this area through their own people, whether that be the High Representative or some other institution," Čović said. He pointed out that discussions on federalism are necessary. "It would be good for us to be wise and courageous, to act responsibly toward BiH and to initiate these processes as soon as possible. The time ahead—over the next few months—is a period when many people will be gathering to discuss these issues. It is time to emerge from this ordeal," Čović added. He said that a civic and unitary BiH will never be able to function, noting that this hoax was best exposed by the weekend proposal of a candidate for the Croatian member of the BiH Presidency. "There are also those who sincerely advocate organizing BiH as a civic state—why not hear them out? I deeply believe that representatives of the Serb, Bosniak and Croat peoples want to protect the legitimate representation of their peoples," Čović told reporters after a session of the HNS in Mostar. Commenting on the candidacy of Slaven Kovačević from the Democratic Front (DF) for the Croat member of the BiH Presidency, Čović said that this candidacy exposed false civic activists and patriots, bringing them fully into the open. He stressed that the time has come for BiH to function as a modern European state in which the three constituent peoples are represented by legitimate representatives. "We will make every effort to secure a new BiH Election Law in the next elections. I believe this is an incentive for everyone, especially Bosniaks who care about BiH, to understand that there have been enough deceptions of the Croatian people carried out in the name of the Bosniak people," Čović stressed.