The Croat National Assembly (HNS), an organisation made up of Bosnian Croat parties, rejected on Sunday the long-term goals the main Bosniak party in the country set for itself, saying they are unacceptable and detrimental to the survival and stability of the country.
The Party for Democratic Action (SDA) adopted on Saturday a document containing its long-term goals which include, among other things, the establishment of a ‘Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina’ and the affirmation of a ‘Bosnian language’ as the ‘common identity of all of Bosnia’s citizens’.
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“Such a Declaration is especially unacceptable for Croats, who are through dialogue with their partners from the Bosniak side for years fighting for one of the key foundations of the state – the equality of all peoples and citizens,” the HNS said in a press release.
“With such a declaration, the SDA is presenting a completely opposite path,” it said.
The Council said Bosnia is only possible as a community of three fully equal constituent peoples and will never be a unilateral project set up according to the will of one of the peoples.
“The programme declaration of the SDA is proof of organised political, ideological and media violence against Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” it said.
The HNS argued that the Bosniak policy cannot be presented as well-intentioned, citizen-oriented and working toward building up better relations and a better future for the country “while at the same time implementing a destructive policy and supporting obstructions.”
“We invite Bosniak political representatives to return to to the talks on just solutions which will bring good to everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since the solutions in place do not secure full equality, it is necessary to change the Constitution and the Election Law in order to ensure the legitimate representation of constituent peoples,” it said, arguing that this would be in line with previous court rulings.
“It is necessary to reach a wide political and social consensus and with that to ensure a stable political atmosphere, to form the government and to return to the path toward the EU and NATO. Any other moves, such as the Programme Declaration of the SDA, represent a path toward the past and not the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” it said.
