Minister: Die Kroaten in BiH haben mehr Rechte, als ihnen zustehen

A group representing Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina has strongly criticized a parliamentary resolution proposed by Croatia’s ruling party and the Homeland Union, calling it an attempt to “legally justify pressure and interference in internal affairs” during Bosnia's accession process to the European Union. The Democratic Front (DF), which represents Croat interests in BiH, stated that the document seeks to undermine the constitutional rights of Croats within the country and urged Croatia not to continue supporting such efforts. The resolution, titled “On Strengthening the Political Position of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” was jointly proposed by the ruling Croatian Democratic Congress (HDZ) and the Homeland Union (Domovinski Pokret). It outlines nine points, with the DF condemning all except one. According to the DF, the text aims to legitimize external influence over internal matters in BiH, particularly during its EU integration process. The group emphasized that if the resolution is indeed intended to assist BiH in its path toward EU membership, they have only one request, “do not help us anymore.” The resolution asserts that Croats in BiH do not enjoy equal rights compared to the other two constituent peoples, Bosniaks and Serbs. It argues that the Croatian nation in BiH does not fully realize the constitutional guarantees of its status and is not considered entirely equal to the other groups. As a result, the issue of the political position of Croats is presented as a legitimate interest of Croatia. One key point of the resolution calls on the Government of Croatia to continue supporting the realization of full political equality for Croats in BiH through electoral and political system reforms. The goal of these reforms, according to the document, should be to ensure fair elections where each constituent nation can elect its legitimate representatives. The Croatian Parliament expresses support for electoral models that promote the legitimate representation of Croats in BiH, including the proposal for the establishment of a special electoral unit to select the Croatian member of the Presidency of BiH. The resolution also urges the Croatian government to utilize all available political, legal, and diplomatic mechanisms within the European Union and international organizations to protect the interests of Croats in BiH. Unlike previous proposals, which critics argue implied the creation of a separate federal entity, a so-called third entity, the new document focuses exclusively on establishing a special electoral unit for selecting the Croatian representative in the BiH Presidency. In response to the adoption of the resolution, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, stated that Croats living in BiH “have more rights than they deserve.” He accused those behind the document of lacking sufficient knowledge about the situation in BiH and promised a detailed response. Konaković announced that a conference will be held in Sarajevo in August to address the issue, emphasizing that the discussion on the method of electing the Croatian member of the BiH Presidency is fully legal and legitimate. However, he stressed that a broader debate on the political positions of Croats, Bosniaks, and Serbs based on facts is necessary, as it does not serve those who initiated the resolution in the Croatian Parliament. He claimed that Croats in BiH, despite being a minority, hold many more rights and positions than they are entitled to under the laws of the country, often at the expense of the Bosniak population. Konaković also dismissed the messages from Zagreb suggesting that Croats in BiH lack protected status as a constituent nation. While stating that he does not wish to provoke conflict, he intends to present factual data showing the true state of affairs in institutions and the position of Bosniaks in municipalities where Croats form the majority.