Croatia's Malign Role in Bosnia
| 21. September 2022 -17 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia's Malign Role in Bosnia Almost four years ago, in December 2018, the Croatian Parliament adopted the Declaration on the Position of the Croatian People in BiH, as time has shown, as a clearly defined political strategy of the state of Croatia for the reapplication and further realization of the key goals from the Tuđman – Milošević agreement of March 1991 in Karađorđevo, about the solution to the then Yugoslav crisis. The essence of Karadjordjevo Agreement was the division of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The escalation of such this policy and open hostility towards the integrity, political independence and sovereignty of BiH, which today is symbolically personified by Zoran Milanović, the President of the Republic of Croatia, is the product of a long and already transparent activity of the state institutions, diplomacy, security and political structures of the Republic of Croatia. This policy is the basis of on the internal and international level engagement of Croatia, as well as through the engagement of separatist, collaborationist political allies and structures in BiH itself. Permanent pressures aimed at blocking the democratic transformation of BiH by insisting on the so-called “legitimate political representation of the people” in the multi-ethnic community and civil society, have already turned into an open call for a military arrangement of the state of Croatia in the state of BiH, and the institute of dual citizenship of citizens of one ethnic group into an instrument of dual loyalty of citizens and loss of interest in reform processes necessary for European integration of BiH. The ideology, political methods and goals of the militant “Russian world” through the political abuse of ethnic groups in other countries, for the purpose of appropriating part of the territories of other countries, has its followers in the Balkans as well. Taking over and dominating the sovereignty of neighboring nations is not only the practice of Russia and its key ally in the Balkans – the “Serbian world”, but also the manifest intentions and shaping of the so-called – of the “Croatian world”. Although they have been in conflict for centuries over unresolved mutual national aspirations, they are in fact in an open, strategic alliance and coordinated action, interests and goals towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now it is completely clear why almost four years ago the initiative of Circle 99 on the dialogue between the democratic public of Croatia and the civil state-building public of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Memorandum of Understanding, defined on the occasion of the aforementioned Declaration of the Croatian Parliament, was not accepted. Due to our refusal to accept the political will expressed in the referendum on February 29 and March 1. In 1992, when 63.5% of citizens declared “for a sovereign and independent Bosnia and Herzegovina, a state of equal citizens, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Muslims, Serbs, Croats and members of other nations living in it”, it changes according to the then rejected proposal of the HDZ of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 9/2/1992 year from the so-called Livno Question “Are you for a sovereign and independent Bosnia and Herzegovina, a state union of the constituent and sovereign peoples of Croatia, Muslim and Serbia in their national areas (cantons)?”. This is clearly the key element of the current Declaration of the Croatian Parliament and the permanent platform of the ethno-territorial division of BiH based on the Tuđman-Milošević from Karađorđevo and Boban-Karadžić Graz agreements on the exchange of territories in BiH and the “humane resettlement” of the population, and thus state and social destruction BiH. Refusal of the Republic of Croatia to recognize, as a signatory to the General Peace Agreement, which committed itself to full respect for the sovereignty, integrity and political subjectivity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, therefore also as a party involved in the war events in BiH, derives any paternalistic rights towards BiH and the reaffirmation of the so-called war aims of HRHB. The right to subordination of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Croatia over the Constitution and laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina is used as a “legal” and political basis for interference in internal regulation and the building of a democratic order in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The constituent Croatian people in BiH are treated as part of the Croatian national state, as citizens of the Republic of Croatia. Also, the laws of the Republic of Croatia establish and operate supranational institutions such as the Office for Croats outside the Republic of Croatia, by which one of the constituent peoples of BiH is placed in the position of a diaspora and a national minority, or as newcomers in their age-old homeland of BiH. The persistent production of the vulnerability of Bosnian Croats hides the answer to the question of political responsibility for the catastrophic policy of “humane resettlement”, “ethnically clean areas” which resulted in the reduction of the Croatian population by more than half of the pre-war number, and the constant tendency of further reduction. All this continues to generate the divided state-building loyalty of that part of the authentic citizens of BiH, which, through the practice of dual political and institutional citizenship, has serious consequences for internal peace, stability, for the restoration and building of trust between people and nations, for Euro-Atlantic integration and democratic development, for just resolution of borders, property, justified interests of BiH on the right of the sea, use of natural resources, construction of transport infrastructure. Summary of Session of 18 September 2022 The presenter at this session was Reuf Bajrovic, Vice-President of the US-Europe Alliance. Adil Kulenović, President |
| Association of Independent Intellectuals – Circle 99 (Bosnian: Krug 99), a leading Bosnian think-tank, was established in Sarajevo in 1993, in the midst of the Bosnian war (1992-1995), while the capital was under siege. Circle 99 provides a platform to bring together intellectuals of various professional and ethnic identities; university professors, members of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, artists, journalists, entrepreneurs, diplomats, and other prominent figures from Bosnia and from abroad. Multidisciplinary discussions and initiatives are held each Sunday throughout the academic year, in the form of regular sessions about politics, science, education, culture, economy, and other societal issues. The overall goal is to sensitize the public towards a democratic transformation, achieving and maintaining peace, and integration of modern Bosnia into the community of countries fostering liberal democracy. Circle 99 has been declared an organization of special significance for the city of Sarajevo. |
