Bosnia’s Civil Affairs Minister Adil Osmanovic told N1 that Croatia committed an act of legal violence by starting the construction of the Peljesac Bridge. Bosnia repeatedly called on Croatia to sit down and discuss this issue, but Croatia ignored all its calls.

“Bosnia’s Council of Ministers Chairman Denis Zvizdic and Presidency Chairman Bakir Izetbegovic both regretfully concluded that Croatia had ignored all our letters, warnings and calls for dialogue,” Osmanovic said. “Yesterday they brought in a Chinese company to build the bridge. That is legal violence against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Construction of that building threatens the sovereignty of our country at sea and is in direct contradiction of the UN Convention. Bosnia must have free access to the sea. Yesterday the Council of Ministers Chairman sent a letter to Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to resolve this issue.”

According to him, it is not too late for Bosnia. The country was not inactive and it was not quiet about this issue. When asked about the lack of a common attitude about this issue in the country, Osmanovic said that Croatia also ignored a 2007 decision of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina on this issue, which was made by a consensus. It is the Presidency that decides on Bosnia’s Foreign Policy.

He reiterated Izetbegovic’s claims that Bosnia will protect its rights before international institutions including international judicial institutions, but he also called for the preservation of good neighbourly relations.  

The 2007 decision made by Bosnia's tripartite Presidency stipulates that Bosnia is against the bridge construction until all open issues related to the identification of the sea borderline between the two countries are resolved.