RTL reporter Ilija Radić spoke with Čović. In the midst of the war in Ukraine, Čović commented on the alarming letter from the ex-high representatives of the international community in BiH due to the potential escalation of violence in that country, and answered whether the danger was real.
„Of course, when we see the environment around us. Relations in BiH are governed by the BiH people. We will have as much security as much as we have wisdom. I am convinced that wisdom will prevail over all divisions that last in BiH for twenty years. These different views on our history, the present and the future of some who have not achieved their war plans... But the policy of the Croatian people led by the Croat National Assembly of BiH (Hrvatski narodni sabor – HNS BiH) will be a policy of peace“, he said.
He also commented on the claim of Croatian President Zoran Milanović that BiH and Kosovo should join the EU urgently.
„BiH will never be ready for the EU if we do not make an accelerated course. We submitted an application 6 years ago, in 2018 we were sure that we would get candidate status and that process was led by Croats in BiH. Representatives of the other two constituent peoples had other priorities. It is a pity that we did not get it then. Now it is not too late, BiH is part of the European family, the sooner we do it the better, but in the process of joining the EU we will have to make a transformation to create a rational and orderly society that will function in compliance with all EU standards“, Čović asserted.
Čović also said that it is not realistic to expect a unified position of BiH on the Ukrainian issue.
„Foreign policy is being conducted without standards for a long time. It is the expression of a particular political party and one people, not a common interest of BiH. On behalf of the Croatian people, we have said as leaders of European values that we want to bring everything we have built into the EU and follow the conclusions of the EC, European institutions and the European Parliament. We will follow what the EU's views are“, he said.
Asked whether the Croatian army should be on alert for BiH, Čović said he was not the one to talk about it.
"Adequate people know how to make decisions about that. I am convinced that the Prime Minister (Plenković) and the President (Milanović) should think about it, that there is enough quality information when they will do something like that, if at all“, he concluded.
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