The leader of the Croat Democratic Union (HDZ BiH), Dragan Covic, said that BiH is at a turning point and warned that if it does not implement important reforms by the end of February, it will not have another opportunity any time soon to open EU membership talks, which is expected in March.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who together with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was in Sarajevo this week, called on the authorities to change several laws in the next six weeks, including the electoral one and expressed his belief that in March of this year, The European Council approves the opening of accession negotiations.

“Time is running out, and this structure will not wait for another opportunity to approach the EU. We are entering extreme uncertainty if we don't resolve this,” Covic told HercegBosna Radio Television from Mostar.

Asked about the letter from US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who accused Covic of obstructing the construction of the Southern Gas Interconnection between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Covic said that it is a matter of strategic interest of Croats and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He added that in the company Bh. Gas, which the American side insists is leading the construction and management of the gas pipeline through Bosnia and Herzegovina, is not operated by any Croat and insists that the project be implemented by a company headquartered in Mostar.