Gordan Grlić Radman, Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs, has reiterated Croatia’s commitment to ensuring equal rights for Croats living in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Speaking during a media session at the “Blatnička nota dobrote” cultural and humanitarian event near Mostar, he emphasized that Zagreb will continue to insist with international partners on the need for reforms that guarantee equal representation for Croats within BiH’s political framework. The minister expressed disappointment over the lack of open discussion on electoral reform during a recent conference organized by BiH’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmedin Konaković, in Sarajevo. The conference, held last week, was presented as an international gathering in response to a resolution passed by the Croatian Parliament calling for strengthening the position of Croats in BiH. Konaković, who is also the leader of the party Narod i pravda, stated that Bosniaks are underrepresented in state institutions, particularly in leadership positions, while Croats hold more positions than they should according to his assessment. However, Grlić Radman criticized the event, describing it as lacking true international character, noting that it was organized primarily by Konaković and his party, with no representatives from other constituent nations present. Minister Grlić Radman stressed that Croatia will not stop working toward achieving equal rights for its citizens in BiH. He lamented the missed opportunity to address electoral reform, which he argued could have eliminated discrimination in the voting process. “It is regrettable that this chance was lost,” he said, adding that efforts to change the Electoral Code should have been ongoing for years. He pointed out that the Croatian Parliament’s resolution did not justify such a conference, and that the proposal for a separate electoral district for Croat members of BiH’s presidency does not constitute a threat to the country’s stability. He further warned against interpreting any mention of Croatia’s electoral unit as heresy that might lead to the breakup of BiH. “The Dayton Agreement is an instrument for ensuring equal rights for all three constituent peoples,” he said. The Croatian Parliament’s resolution calls for reforming BiH’s political and electoral system so that each ethnic group can elect legitimate representatives. Among the supported models is the establishment of a separate electoral district for selecting the Croat member of BiH’s Presidency. The parliament also condemned electoral engineering and vote dilution against Croats, urging the government to protect their equality through legal, political, and diplomatic mechanisms, while preserving BiH’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. General elections in BiH are scheduled to take place at the beginning of November. Slaven Kovačević, a member of the Democratic Front of Željo Komšić, has announced his candidacy for the Croat seat in BiH’s Presidency. According to Grlić Radman, Kovačević promotes the unitarian goals of Komšić’s political party, including restructuring BiH’s constitutional framework and eliminating the principle of constituent nations, which he claims threatens peace in the region. The minister noted that Croatia will continue discussions with international partners regarding the status of Croats and necessary changes to the constitutional and electoral frameworks of BiH. Grlić Radman confirmed that Zagreb expects political leaders in BiH to reach a final agreement, and that Croatia will support any proposals developed by legitimate Croatian representatives in the country. “We will continue to speak with actors in the European Union and the United States about the need for limited constitutional changes and amendments to the Electoral Code, so that Croats in BiH can realize their rights,” he said. He concluded by stating that Croatia will not tire of pursuing these efforts.
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