ČOVIĆ: BiH HAS REACHED A DEAD END, OHR MUST GO

MOSTAR, JULY 16 /SRNA/ - HDZ BiH leader Dragan Čović said that BiH has reached "a dead end" and that the Office of the High Representative /OHR/ must cease to exist and must be closed, as only then can BiH make progress.

Čović said the time has come to acknowledge that the European path and a special high representative with executive powers in BiH can no longer coexist. He expressed confidence that the time has come to clearly define the mandate of the high representative as transitional in nature and to establish powers that cannot include the Bonn powers. Čović said that all previous use of the Bonn powers had caused damage to BiH. "They have encouraged some among us to remain in constant conflict and not seek solutions within BiH ourselves. The key is that, after these elections, those who form parliamentary majorities and are able to establish governments should assume responsibility, instead of waiting for someone else to pass laws and impose solutions on our behalf," Čović added. Commenting on the fact that BiH now has an acting high representative for the first time, Čović expressed hope that he would be the last, while questioning how someone could even serve as an acting high representative. He said that Christian Schmidt had done nothing good and had only caused harm to the Croats. Čović said he expected that one day someone would come with the authority to annul all decisions made by high representatives because, in his view, no one else could do so except such an institution. "We have reached a dead end and must understand that we once again have to find solutions ourselves. Our friends deserve every respect, but we are responsible for BiH. Everywhere, the role of the high representative is presented as crucial. How, then, can the door to accession negotiations be opened or new reform activities launched while such an institution exists? It must disappear and be closed down," Čović said. Asked about the fact that Bosniak political representatives advocate BiH's sovereignty while at the same time doing everything possible to preserve the OHR, Čović said that, if it were not so sad, it would be laughable. "How can you speak about the sovereignty of your country when you have handed it over to one man who can amend the Constitution and laws, dismiss and appoint officials, and adjust the Election Law in order to establish a government on an ad hoc basis?" Čović told Herceg-Bosna TV. He said that the pursuit of a supranational concept of a civic BiH was futile and an illusion that should be abandoned as soon as possible. Čović welcomed the adoption of the Resolution on the Political Empowerment of Croats in BiH by the Croatian Parliament, saying such a document was useful in helping everyone understand how concerning the position of the Croat people in BiH is. He said that Croats should have only what they have earned and what rightfully belongs to them, not what someone else decides they should have.