Ministrica valjskih poslova Kosova Donika Gervala saopćila u petak da je na zahtjev premijera Aljbina Kurtija donijela odluku da se ruski zvaničnik UNMIK-a na Kosovu proglasi „personom non grata“.
Ona je dodala da je odluka donesena da se ruski zvaničnik proglasi nepoželjnim na Kosovu zbog njegovog štetnog djelovanja, kojim je narušena nacionalna sigurnost Republike Kosovo.
„Istovremeno sam obavijestila organe za sprovođenje zakona i nadležne organe o sprovođenju ove odluke. Institucije Republike Kosovo ostaju posvećene borbi protiv malignog uticaja Ruske Federacije i njenih satelitskih predstavnika u regionu, koji imaju za cilj da podrivaju dostignuća Kosova i naših partnera, prije svega SAD, NATO-a i EU. Republika Kosovo će nastaviti još tješnju saradnju sa svojim međunarodnim saveznicima, posebno sa Amerikancima, Evropljanima i NATO-om, kako bi osujetila bilo kakve destabilizujuće napore Ruske Federacije u našem regionu“, napisala je Gervala na Fejsbuku.
Dodala je da su odlučnost i put Republike Kosovo ka članstvu u NATO, EU, a potom i u UN su nepovratni.
„Uvjeravamo građane Republike Kosovo da će institucije ostati budne svakog dana i odlučne da zaštite bezbjednost i ustavni poredak naše zemlje, kad god je to potrebno“, napisala je ministrica Gervala.
Vlada Ruske Federacije predložila je bivšeg francuskog premijera Francoisu Fillona za člana Uprave ruske državne naftne kompanije Zarubrežnjeft, objavili su u petak navečer moskovski mediji pozivajući se na službene web portale tamošnjih vlasti.
Fillon je bio predsjednik francuske vlade tokom petogodišnjeg predsjedničkog mandata Nicolasa Sarkozya, u periodu od 2007. do 2012. godine.
Правительство России выдвинуло экс-премьера Франции Франсуа Фийона в совет директоров «Зарубежнефти». Фийон возглавлял правительство Франции с мая 2007 по май 2012 при президенте Николя Саркози. https://t.co/eRW8MjQlZlpic.twitter.com/artW7DOAD8
Ukoliko Fillon bude potvrđen, a skoro je izvjesno da hoće, on će biti treći visoki zvaničnik neke od zemalja Evropske unije kojeg su ruske vlasti, nakon isteka mandata u matičnoj zemlji, imenovale u upravljačke strukture svojih naftnih kompanija.
Četiri godine prije francuskog premijera u ruskoj naftnoj kompaniji Rosneft skrasio se bivši njemački kancelar Gerhard Schröder, dok je početkom ove godine u upravljačke strukture iste kompanije imenovana i bivši ministrica vanjskih poslova Austrije Karin Kneissl.
Gerhard Schröder je bio predsjednik njemačke Vlade od 1998. do 2005. godine. Tokom obavljanja dužnosti je uspostavio prijateljske odnose s ruskim predsjednikom Vladimirom Putinom.
Gerhard Schröder i Vladimir Putin
Nakon kancelarskog mandata, Schröder je prvo postao predsjednik Odbora dioničara vlasnika podvodnog plinovoda Sjeverni tok koji povezuje Rusku Federaciju i Njemačku. Većinski udio u Sjevernom toku ima ruski naftni gigant Gazprom. U avgustu 2017. godine Schröder je postao član Upravnog odbora ruske naftne kompanije Rosnjeft što je tada naišlo na brojne osude u Njemačkoj.
Karin Kneissl je bila ministrica vanjskih poslova Austrije od 2017. do 2019. godine. Ruski predsjednik Vladimir Putin bio je 2018. na njenoj svadbi organiziranoj u Beču.
Karin Kneissl i Vladimir Putin
U martu ove godine, bivša austrijska ministrica Kneissl imenovana je u Upravni odbor ruskog naftnog giganta Rosnjeft.
Tako je nastavljena praksa da visokopozicionirani zvaničnici zemalja Evropske unije nakon isteka mandata bivaju nagrađeni pozicijama u naftnim kompanijama kojima suvereno upravlja Vladimir Putin.
Inače, osim premijera Francuske i Njemačke te austrijske ministrice vanjskih poslova, godinama je u upravljačkim strukturama Rosnjefta i hrvatski biznismen Željko Runje. Hrvatski sedmičnik Nacional objavio je u januaru 2020. godine da je Rosnjeft podržavao Zorana Milanovića u utrci za hrvatskog predsjednika zbog ambicija oko preuzimanja naftne kompanije INA.
Da Zoran Milanović gaji dobre veze sa Rusima, vidjelo se i 14. septembra 2020. godine. Naime, na službenom Twitter nalogu Ambasade Ruske Federacije u Zagrebu objavljeno je da je predsjednik Republike Hrvatske uručio ruskom ambasadoru u Hrvatskoj A.S. Azimovu Orden princa Branimira sa grbom republike Hrvatske “za njegov veliki doprinos razvoju rusko-hrvatskih odnosa”.
Twitter nalog Ambasada ruske Federacije u Zagrebu
Tokom premijerskog mandata u Hrvatskoj, Milanović se nekoliko puta susretao sa čelnicima Rosnjefta, među kojima je bio i Igor Sečin, dugogodišnji prijatelj ruskog predsjednika Vladimira Putina.
Zamjenica predsjedavajućeg Vijeća ministara BiH i ministrica vanjskih poslova BiH Bisera Turković dostavila je Vijeću ministara BiH prijedlog posebne odluke o odobravanju novca Centralnoj izbornoj komisiji za provedbu Općih izbora 2022. Kolegij Vijeća ministara BiH o tome će se izjasniti u ponedjeljak ujutro prije sjednice Vijeća ministara BiH.
Na sjednici koja je održana i u četvrtak i u petak predsjednik CIK-a Suad Arnautović pozvao je Vijeće ministara BiH da na dnevni red sjednice VM BiH koja će biti održana u ponedjeljak stave i odluku koja je već dva puta odbijena glasovima ministara iz HDZ BiH.
Glasnogovornik Evropske komisije Peter Stano 3. juna je kazao da su ministri vanjskih poslova jasno pozvali sve političke lidere i aktere u BiH da ulože sve napore, ne samo da se nastavi sa reformama i dijalogom, nego i da se organizuju Opći izbori u oktobru kako je i planirano.
“Krucijalno je važno da se ovi izbori održe, da građani BiH mogu glasati na slobodnim, poštenim i adekvatno finansiranim izborima. U tom smislu pozivamo Vijeće ministara, posebno ministra finansija da iskoristi predstojeću sjednicu u ponedjeljak i usvoje nacrt budžeta za ovu godinu. Također pozivamo da donesu što prije odluku o finansiranju Centralne izborne komisije BIH. Trenutna blokada hitno se mora okončati. Ono što EU radi ili bi mogla uraditi, uključeni smo i dalje ćemo biti, i spremni pomoći u rješenjima za BiH i u BiH”, kazao je Stano.
Podsjećamo, Vijeće ministara BiH usvojilo je Dokument okvirnog budžeta nakon čega je ministar finansija i trezora Vjekoslav Bevanda (HDZ) u petak 27. maja uputio Vijeću ministara BiH i Nacrt budžeta za 2022. godinu. Cijela sedmica je prošla bez sjednice iako je novac hitno potreban CIK-u.
Ukoliko Nacrt budžeta i bude usvojen on prolazi dalju proceduru upućuje se u Predsjedništvo BiH koje može tražiti da se doradi budžet.
Ukoliko i sutra bude odbijen prijedlog za donošenje posebne odluke o izdvajanju sredstava za CIK što će biti treći put onda je jasno da HDZ-u odgovara ovakva situacija i da idu na opciju prolongiranja Općih izbora. To bi bilo pogubno za demokratiju s obzirom da je ista Vlada FBiH već skoro puna dva mandata. Igranje s demokratijom ne bi trebalo biti dozvoljeno nikome ko pretenduje da bude u sastavu EU, kao ni onima koji se zaklinju u EU put domovine Bosne i Hercegovine.
Centralna izborna komisija BiH donijela je odluku o rapisivanju Općih izbora 2022.
“Raspisuju se neposredni izbori za Predsjedništvo BiH, Predstavnički dom Parlamentarne skupštine BiH, Predstavnički dom Parlamenta Federacije BiH, Narodnu skupštinu Republike Srpske, Predsjednika i potpredsjednika RS i skupštine kantona u Federaciji BiH”, navedeno je u Odluci Centralne izborne komisije BiH.
Izbori će se, prema ovoj odluci, održati 2. oktobra 2022. godine.
Odluku o raspisivanju izbora nije podržao Vlado Rogić, član Centralne izborne komisije BiH koji je imenovan na prijedlog HDZ-a BiH. On je kazao da ne može podržati Odluku o raspisivanju izbora, jer “ne postoje zakonske odredbe za provedbu izbora”, istilući, pritome, popunjavanje Doma naroda FBiH, što je, prema njegovim riječima, osporeno u predmetu “Ljubić”.
Član CIK- Vlado Rogić rekao je da neće podržati odluku o raspisivanju Općih izbora 2022. Rogić je za člana CIK-a imenovan na prijedlog HDZ-a BiH. pic.twitter.com/JHH18w7nRR
Rogić je, rekosmo, član Centralne izborne komisije koji je imenovan na prijedlog HDZ-a BiH, stranke čiji kadrovi nastoje opstruirati provođenje izbornog procesa.
Član CIK-a Željko Bakalar je upozorio Rogića da se odluka o rapisivanju izbora odnosni na neposredne izbore, a ne na posredne izbore o kojima je govorio HDZ-ov član CIK-a. Bakalarovo izlaganje je podržao i predsjednik CIK-a Suad Arnautović koji je rekao da je Vlado Rogić bio član CIK-a kada je ta institucija glasala za Uputstvo o načinu popunjavanja Doma naroda FBiH.
“Ti si, Vlado, glasao za to Uputstvo”, podsjetio je Arnautović koji je, također, govorio o obezbjeđivanju sredstava za provedbu izbora.
Prema odluci o raspisivanju izbora, sredstva za provedbu izbora se moraju obezbijediti 15 dana od dana raspisivanja izbora.
“Rok počinje da teče sutra. To znači da se do 19.5. moraju osigurati sredstva. Želim poslati poruku građanima BiH. Tačno je propisano zakonom kada se novac mora osigurati. Očekujemo od nadležnih organa da postupe u skladu sa zakonom i da prestanu sa opstrukcijom rada CIK-a”, kazala je Vanja Bjelica.
The US State Department’s Special Envoy for Electoral Reform in BiH Matthew Palmer and representative of the European External Action Service Angelina Eichhorst by their return to Bosnia and Herzegovina this week are encouraging national chauvinist leaders to continue their fascist demands.
It seems that the negotiating logic of this infamous duo relies on the principle of meeting these requirements in order to stop the open demolition of BiH. Based on Sattler's report, which saw the light of day a long time ago, with the help of renegade EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, Dodik and Čović, and with them Izetbegović, each get what they want: Dodik gets to convert state property (forest, rivers, agricultural land etc.) into entity property that he can sell and gift at will while paving the way for secession; Čović gets the essential third entity he wants to ensure he has his own HDZ fiefdom; and Izetbegović will either be promised a new law against genocide e denial (which even he must know would be ignored), and perhaps a promise that he and his cronies won’t be added to any sanctions lists.
Regular people anywhere – in Travnik, Trebinje or Tomislavgrad – of course they will get nothing, and lose more.
After the disappointing visit of USAID Administrator Samantha Power, who combined vague declarative support for the civic option in BiH while advertising US grant-funded projects that ignore the real needs for fundamental change, everyone in BiH is wondering who actually represents whom here and in whose name?
For a year now, Sattler has been shunned an invitation from the Foreign Policy Committee to submit a report on negotiations and electoral reform in BiH. 30 MEPs have filed a request for an investigation against Mr. Várhelyi for his close co-operation with Dodik. So, it is clear to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina that all these “negotiators” are effectively freelancing, working to cut dirty deals with national chauvinists to camouflage a failed policy – and for careerist reasons rather than values-based strategy or policy.
The deal brokered by the EU, US, and UK in Mostar in 2020 between the HDZ and SDA is the obvious template for the ongoing effort. But rather than “scaling” that deal to the state, it will be seen in its proper frame as appeasement of national feudalism – which Bosnians and Herzegovinians, from within the country and in the diaspora, will resist. Attempts by predatory neighbors to divide the country elicited civic defense in the war – as they must now. But citizens/partisans of BiH have an advantage vis a vis 1992-1995: far more of us can see clearly who won – and it wasn’t ordinary people of any self-description. It was party leaders. We will not allow their victory over us to be reinforced. We will assemble to reverse it – socially and systemically. After 26 years of apartheid rule, the citizens decided to send these national fascists to the dustbin of political history.
At the invitation of Romeo Franz, Chair of the Delegation of the European Parliament to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, in my speech on January 12 this year, I set out, inter alia, the following facts:
“BiH’s three-headed nationalist hydra, led by Milorad Dodik, Dragan Čović and Bakir Izetbegović, have for years delineated their spheres of power, creating a kind of balance of powers by agreeing non-transparent political deals that were alleged to be motivated by an interest in protecting the “constituent peoples” they claim to represent. But in reality, they have only consistently looked after their own personal interests – at evident popular and societal expense. The result has been corruption and repression – against members of the opposition, and against anyone who wants to live in an accountable, democratic, rights-based system. In order to protect their personal interests and stay in power, all three have secured the support of Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Turkey and Russia. They have picked sides, and have chosen the illiberal team.
The result is an initiative-destroying machine that is encouraging Bosnians and Herzegovinians from every corner of the country to leave at an alarming velocity.
While its activities within and on the border with Ukraine are motivated by Vladimir Putin’s interest in ensuring that Ukraine is never able to thrive as an accountable democracy – and therefore can never serve as a model to which the people of Russia might themselves aspire – the tensions there serve an additional purpose. Russia actually wants to divert the attention of the USA, the EU and the UK from the situation in the Western Balkans. While analysts are divided as to whether Russia does or does not want to fight on its doorstep, with some seeing the accumulation of troops and weapons on the border with Ukraine as actions aimed at misleading the world to improve his leverage in talks with the US/NATO, or to put into motion escalation that could facilitate the hybrid warfare he favors, his actions also facilitate his aims further west. For while allies worry about Ukraine, Russia is deliberately carrying out a silent invasion of the Western Balkans. This is evidenced by the following events.
During the last meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Bisera Turković (SDA – the main Bosniak nationalist party) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, in Sochi, a consensus was reached on the opening of a Russian Center in Banja Luka. According to Turković, a decision is expected to be made on opening other Russian “cultural and humanitarian” centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A few years ago, one such Russian humanitarian center was opened in Niš, in southern Serbia, with the ostensible purpose of reacting quickly in Serbia and potentially the region if there should be extraordinary circumstances requiring a rapid humanitarian response. However, the center enjoys diplomatic status, which affords it with the potential to ferry in supplies and even manpower, leading some observers to consider this a sub rosa entryway for (implausibly) deniable armed forces (Putin’s “little green men”) – calling into question the credibility of Serbia’s declared “military neutrality”. For years there have been concerns that this strategy could be used in Banja Luka; now we are seeing that this may come to pass, and with no objection from the SDA’s own Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Negotiations have also begun on financing the construction of the Belgrade-Sarajevo highway with the Russian state agency, with the mediation of the Turkish government, and the construction should cost about 5.5 billion KM. Far-right wing extremist and ultra nationalist gangs with Russian roots have increased their activity in the RS, ranging from the Night Wolves motorcycle gang to the paramilitary group Srbska Čast. And finally, one can’t forget its preference for “religious diplomacy,” with small funds for large Orthodox churches in Serbia and in the RS, which have outsized symbolic impact.
Such projects are a powerful tool for achieving Russia's local geopolitical ambitions, and Russia's most powerful geopolitical tool is certainly the connection of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Turkish Stream gas pipeline and related investments in the oil sector.
The USA and some members of the EU (such as Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavian countries, the Czech Republic, Italy) are actually in favor of the territorial integrity of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and want to impose sanctions on Dodik – and undertake other measures – to cripple his ability to generate further instability. The US has done so. But the EU’s internal fractiousness and large and slow bureaucratic administration, has hampered decisive action. While liberals and Eurocrats dither, European right-wing parties, Hungary and Russia openly support the policies of Dodik and Čović. The British Parliament – itself seeking post-Brexit relevance – at least called for the engagement of NATO troops (likely including their) in response to potential military action. But, just as during the war, the EU relies on toothless statements and fruitless meetings that aim to appease the arsonists.”
The speeches by me and my colleagues Dervo Sejdić and Jakob Finci, were received with majority affirmation from MEPs who gave us their full support, while four Croatian MEPs (three from the ultra-right HDZ RH) sought to use their positions within the EU to continue to frame BiH as a country that doesn’t deserve the same democracy as other countries in Europe value. They want to ensure that a certain class of people in BiH remain second class citizens – forever – depending on who they are, or in which part of the country they live. BiH’s own Željana Zovko, a former BiH ambassador, was the loudest, rudest, and most vulgar of the lot. She threatened to call on Bozo Ljubić and BiH Constitutional Court President Mato Tadić to testify in their favor. These reactions, however, likely had the opposite of the desired effect with most other MEPs.
I saw it as an attempt by desperate people to justify their position and compensate for their incompetence. Their nationalist grandstanding is their only product, as they have nothing else to offer. The difference between them and us – citizens who do not have the unearned privilege of these nationalist elites – is huge. They do their dirty work for money and positions, while we honorably seek a system built on the values we thought the EU itself held and promoted. The only correct way to ensure democratization and the establishment of a truly accountable Bosnia and Herzegovina for everyone living here is through the implementation of the Zornić verdict. Only then can we begin discussions on the social contract for the 21stcentury that we want to see, which will provide the basis for a citizen-centered constitution and Election Law.
Finally, let me conclude with a message to US and EU emissaries Palmer and Eichhorst. You were better off not returning after your last attempt. Your return appears not only desperate, but shows you are committed to wrong-headed and non-democratic, anti-European ideas. If you drop in on BiH with the same principles of non-transparent and non-institutional dirty agreements on the future of our country, where we live, you are guaranteed failure – once again – and lasting reputational damage.
As we see the games being played by local predatory elites, and against the backdrop of Vladimir Putin’s amoral aggression against Ukraine, the message should be clear for our trans-Atlantic friends. For Europe: remember what illiberalism did to the continent in the 20th century, and why your thick web of values-based institutions was established. For the US: representatives of the Biden administration should behave like American politicians, not Balkan politicians. Please use your energy to participate in the democratic emancipation of the political system and not in its smothering.
Please be part of the solution and not part of the problem. And stop thinking that we in BiH and the region somehow deserve less accountability, less opportunity, less participation and less democracy.
Visoki predstavnik u BiH Christian Schmidt pisao je glavnim tužiocima i tužiteljicama Tužilaštva u BiH, javlja oslobodjenje.ba.
Njegovo pismo prenosimo u cjelosti:
Poštovani glavni tužioci/glavne tužiteljice,
obraćam vam se u vezi s predstojećim Općim izborima 2022. godine. Kako se bliži sam dan izbora, nedjelja, 2. oktobar, sve nadležne institucije u Bosni i Hercegovini pripremaju se za održavanje izbora.
Slobodni i pošteni izbori su naravno temelj demokratije. Svim građanima Bosne i Hercegovine mora biti omogućeno da ostvare svoja demokratska prava na tim slobodnim, poštenim i demokratskim izborima, pa shodno tome takvo aktivno biračko pravo građana mora biti i zaštićeno.
Eventualne zloupotrebe u izbornom procesu narušavaju legitimitet izbora i podstiču nepovjerenje javnosti u izborni proces. Stoga je u slučajevima takvih zloupotreba neophodno ozbiljno i ekspeditivno postupati i za takva se djela treba utvrditi odgovornost.
Zato je Bosni i Hercegovini potrebna čvrsta riješenost svih njenih institucija da spriječe takve zloupotrebe, a u slučaju da se pak zloupotrebe eventualno pojave, i odlučnost i spremnost njenog pravosuđa i organa za sprovođenje zakona da se pobrinu da oni koji su odgovorni za bilo kakve vidove nepoštenog postupanja u izborima budu otkriveni i sankcionirani. Integritet izbora se mora sačuvati.
Siguran sam da sve svoje odgovornosti shvatate veoma ozbiljno i da ste osigurali uvjete za otkrivanje eventualnih prekršaja, kao i uvjete koji će građanima omogućiti da se osjećaju slobodno i ohrabreno da prijave ponašanje koje se smatra nezakonitim, a koje će naići na vašu brzu reakciju. Ključno je da pravosuđe i organi za sprovođenje zakona brzo reagiraju na eventualne nezakonitosti.
Uvjeravam vas da imate svu moju zahvalnost i podršku u vašoj borbi protiv kriminala, napisao je Schmidt.
Bh. državljani koji su prijavljeni za glasanje putem pošte iz Finske i Mađarske ne mogu vratiti izborni materijal u BiH, saznaje Istraga. U pitanju je 160 glasova iz Finske i 68 iz Mađarske.
“Upoznati smo s problemom. Ne radi poštanski promet iz Finske prema BiH”, kazali su nam iz Centralne izborne komisije BiH.
Trenutno se, kako saznajemo, vode pregovori o načinu slanja glasačkog materijala, a jedna od opcija je slanje materijala u najbliže diplomatsko-konzularno predstavništvo odakle bi se materijali dalje slali prema BiH.
Nekoliko bh. državljana koji žive u Finskoj već se obraćalo CIK-u. Ustvrdili su da im se pošta koju šalju prema BiH vraća na kućnu adresu.
Dan prije posjete ruskog ministra spoljnih poslova Sergeja Lavrova Republici Srpskoj u Bosni i Hercegovini, Dodik je rekao da je „samo ruska vakcina protiv COVID-a odgovarajuća i da vakcine koje se proizvode na Zapadu izazivaju neplodnost“.
Najavio je da će Republika Srpska vakcinu za svoje stanovništvo predložiti isključivo iz Rusije, zanemarujući činjenicu da ne postoji odobrenje Agencije za lijekove i medicinska sredstva BiH bez čijeg odobrenja strani medicinski preparati ne mogu biti uvezeni u zemlju.
Dodik je ovu izjavu dao za medije najavljujući pripreme za posjetu ruskog ministra spoljnih poslova Sergeja Lavrova.
Lavrov će u ponedjeljak uveče stigao u Sarajevo, gdje se sastao sa Dodikom i visokim liderima Republike Srpske.
U utorak, prie svoje sljedeće posjete Beogradu, očekuje se da se Lavrov sastane sa tri člana bosanskog Predsedništva i ministarkom spoljnih poslova BiH Biserkom Turković.
Čitava posjeta Sergeja Lavrova proći će pod visokim mjerama bezbjednosti.
On 10th October 2020 the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia signed an agreement brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin seemingly ending the fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. While the situation remains fluid and developing , this event has generally been viewed as victory in Baku and defeat in Yerevan. As large-scale military operations are seemingly coming to an end, the post-conflict landscape in the region is beginning to quickly take shape, and its difficulties will likely be more complicated, intricate, and drawn-out than the 44-day battlefield dynamic. Russia stood by during much of the conflict, but took advantage of its shift to press for an agreement which included the rapid deployment of Russian peacekeeping forces to the region.
The present conflict in the Western Balkan region between Kosovar and Serbian population looks like perfect model or the future arena for deployment of the same Russian malign influence model. Russian involvement in disputes between sovereign countries to manipulate and maintain their control.
Russia’s behaviour in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict serves as a warning for Serbia and Kosovo on how Russia uses conflicts between nations to manipulate, dominate, and extend its malign influence abroad. Just as Moscow tries to use the territorial dispute between Serbia and Kosovo to retain its influence in the Western Balkan Region, the Moscow-brokered peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia allows the Kremlin to extend its influence in the Caucasus and may be a part of a plan to oust the Armenian leadership so they can be replaced with more pliable individuals.
The Kremlin essentially ignored Armenia’s status as a CSTO member and all but forced the Armenians to accept a humiliating deal viewed as a defeat in Yerevan and a victory in Baku, that protects Moscow’s interests much better than Armenian interests, and now Russian “peacekeepers” will be ensconced for years to come to implement Russian foreign policy as Russia sees fit.
Russia’s insertion of troops into the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute gives Russia a foothold that allows it to assert its malign influence over the region and manipulate it as desired, while keeping Azerbaijan and Armenian interests. It is possibly that Russia purposely waited to get involved as punishment for Armenia not falling in line with Russian policy? The Russians repeatedly show that they are only in it for themselves – is it possible they will try to replace the Armenian leadership with someone more pliable who will bend to the Russian will? We all know that Russia believes Serbia should be subordinate to Moscow’s rule – is it possible that they will also try to replace the leadership in Serbia to to regain control?
The increased isolationism of US foreign policy and a lack of interest by the European Union and European countries in the region, coupled with the global COVID-19 pandemic’s shifting of most countries’ attention on domestic public health concerns, have all provided an opportunity for Russia in the first place to “hijack” the Nagorno-Karabakh dossier from the Minsk Process and convert it into a regional endeavour in to ease their manipulation and malign influence.
When U.S. and EU officials met with BiH political parties and civil society earlier this month to discuss electoral/constitutional reform, leaders agreed they would prepare in advance of a next round of discussions. We have seen little progress since. Leaders have not done the work necessary to bring the BiH political system in line with EU regulations and court rulings. Apart from that, following the unacceptable further escalation by the RSNA on 10 December, the political crisis is deepening.
Renewed efforts to mediate now, before the end of the year, will unfortunately be futile. Such efforts will only bear fruit once the parties sincerely work with each other to find solutions.
We have heard commitments from the ruling coalition on constitutional and electoral reforms that can achieve parliamentary support. Equally important in moving BiH forward are reforms to make elections more secure, trustworthy and to create a government in the Federation of BiH that functions. The time has come to live up to those commitments.
We urge the parties to back down from maximalist proposals, which are not supported by international and EU standards and lack support within parliament or society. Democracy is neither about perpetual stalemates to force through one’s demands nor about imposing the will of the majority. We also urge the RS representatives to fully return to the institutions.
The EU and the U.S. have invested in a dialogue that recognises the concerns and interests from all sides. This process is an opportunity to deal with discrimination, dysfunctionality and election fraud. Considering the political landscape and climate in BiH, we believe these reforms would be a major step forward. Parties know what is needed to take aim at the root causes of chronic political crisis in BiH – corruption, lack of trust and low democratic standards. It's up to the them to step up and come to the table ready to take action. We therefore call on all sides to engage and contribute in this process in a meaningful way, in the interest of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated by EU Delegation in BiH and the US Embassy to BiH.
Harun Sadiković je nekad slovio za perspektivnog džudistu. Dobijao je stipendije iz budžeta i bio reprezentativac Bosne i Hercegovine. No, već dugo ga ne...
