Croatian President, Ivo Josipović, and the country’s Prime Minister, Jadranka Kosor, issued a joint statement on Croatia’s support for Euro-Atlantic integrations of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The statement states Croatia deems it very important that BiH provides a clear definition at all levels of government of a constitutive nation’s representative, whose legitimacy is achieved through political will of the constitutive nation he/she represents.
The statement further says Croatia supports territorial integrity and sovereignty of BiH and its full membership in the EU and NATO, equal rights for all three constitutive nations and citizens. Croatian officials add they believe that without equal participation of Croats, BiH cannot become a fully functional country which meets all prerequisites for the EU and NATO memberships.
We are brining you the full text of the statement:
„The Republic of Croatia unambiguously supports territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its full membership in the EU and NATO.
– The Republic of Croatia is encouraging the countries in the region to clearly and unambiguously confirm their support to territorial integrity and sovereignty of BiH and, in line with their own efforts and progress in Euro-Atlantic integration processes, express support and solidarity towards BiH’s decision to become a full member of the EU and NATO.
– The Republic of Croatia will advocate within the international community, and especially within the EU, BiH’s secure and predictable European future in a process adapted to specific needs, regional position and structure of BiH.
– The Republic of Croatia believes that sustainable political agreement on functional organization of BiH and mechanisms which guarantee equality of all constitutive nations and citizens can be reached only through agreements reached inside Bosnia and Herzegovina.
– The Republic of Croatia is encouraging all actors in BiH’s political life, and especially representatives of the parties which won the biggest support of the constitutive nations and citizens of BiH, to responsibly approach reforms BiH needs in order to start negotiations for membership in the EU and NATO.
– The Republic of Croatia believes that opinions of all sides should be taken into consideration when it comes to reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that an agreement on reforms should be based on a package of reforms which equally considers concerns and needs of all three constitutive nations and citizens of BiH.
– Believing that BiH cannot become a fully functioning country able to meet all prerequisites required for membership in the EU and NATO without guaranteeing equal rights to Croats in BiH, the Republic of Croatia encourages political parties in BiH to ensure full institutional equality of Croats in BiH as one of the three constitutive nations.
– The Republic of Croatia, at the moment, deems it very important that BiH provides a clear definition at all levels of government of a constitutive nation’s representative, whose legitimacy is achieved through political will of the constitutive nation he/she represents.
– The Republic of Croatia is encouraging all actors in BiH’s political life, and especially representatives of the parties which won the biggest support of the constitutive nations and citizens of BiH, to establish government at all levels responsibly and taking into consideration interests of all three constitutive nations.
– The Republic of Croatia especially encourages all legitimate representatives of the constitutive nations and citizens in the Federation of BiH to, in good will, continue dialogue and establishment of government which would be structured as to adequately represent the will of the constitutive nations and citizens expressed at democratic elections“, reads the statement from the government of the Republic of Croatia.
Source: FENA (January 12, 2011)
Translation: Atlantic initiative
