ZAGREB, May 14, 2018 – Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović called on Monday in Mostar on politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina to come to an agreement on amendments to the election law, saying that that was vital for forming stable government that will lead the country into negotiations with the European Union.
“Every moment has to be utilised in efforts to amend the election law. If that won’t be possible, then I truly hope that politicians will show absolute responsibility for the future of the state and that they will agree on a stable government,” Grabar-Kitarović told reporters.
She added that Bosnia and Herzegovina was faced with the most important period, opening accession negotiations with the European Union, and that is why it is necessary to have a stable government to run the state when opening and conducting those negotiations. “That truly requires a stable government that will implement reforms that aren’t always popular,” Grabar-Kitarović said after she gave a talk at Mostar University on Croatia’s support to Southeast European countries on their journey to the European Union.
She said that she would discuss amendments to the election law with the Croat member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Dragan Ćović.
During her talk, the president underscored that Croatia would advocate reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina that will secure equal status for the Croat people.
Asked by those attending to comment on the fact that Croatia’s support is often perceived by Bosniak politicians as meddling in Bosnia’s affairs, Grabar-Kitarović said that national, minority and individual rights aren’t an internal matter of any country.
“The equality of all three constituent peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina has to be secured in all aspects. Croatia is a guarantor of the Dayton and Washington agreements and will continue to do so. We also have the constitutional obligation to defend the status of Croats abroad,” she said and added that Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina were not a minority but an equal people in their homeland.
She added that it was in Croatia’s strategic interest for countries in Southeast Europe to continue on their Euro-Atlantic journey, adding that there were some ‘players’ who were creating disturbances and inciting religious, national and other forms of antagonism and violent extremism.
