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SARAJEVO, January 16 (FENA) – Deputies of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina today commented the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Serbia in terms of the region's progress towards membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
As they pointed out, Russia's position on the issue of accession into NATO of the countries in the region is already well known, and this includes BiH, but they reminded that Serbia in fact has very good relations with that military-political alliance, and some of the MPs raised the question why BiH would not have at least equally good relations with NATO.
The BiH Council of Ministers is supposed to adopt the Annual National Program prepared by the Commission for the NATO Integration Process of BiH, and this is a document requested of BiH at the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Speaker of the House of Representatives Borjana Krišto (Croat Democratic Union – HDZ BiH) today reiterated the views of her political party when it comes to the commitment of BiH to the EU and NATO integration, rejecting the claims of some political representatives that the HDZ's position is only a declarative in nature.
“HDZ, as well as the Croat National Assembly, will do everything to make BiH stable and prosperous and make it a good place to live in for all three constituent peoples and all other citiens of BiH,”, she added.
She actually referred to the statement by the Democratic Front (DF) MP, Dženan Đonlagić, who said that HDZ is in fact, anti-NATO, and he explained this statement by underlining that the politics led by HDZ BiH is completely wrong one.
He noted that such politics is completely contrary to what they are declaratively advocating in the context that BiH should become a full member of the NATO alliance, “but in practice, they are doing everything they can for this not to happen,” said Đonlagić.
“If we take into account the official visits that HDZ has taken to date, it can be concluded that this party is more oriented towards Russia than to the NATO. We just want the decisions and laws of the country and its institutions to be respected,” Đonlagić pointed out.
“At this moment, an outstretched hand of the NATO is a question for the generation that would finally put the issue of peace and stability in the sidelines, so that this country could deal with other concrete reforms. That is the question of all questions. Activation of the MAP, and then the new convocation of the Council of Ministers,” he underlined.
An MP of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) Adil Osmanović believes that Russia's position on BiH's path towards NATO is not unexpected; it is the position that confirms that they do not want to see BiH become a NATO member.
Nevertheless, the future convocation of the BiH Council of Ministers has to act in accordance with the Constitution of BiH, the laws and the documents adopted in the previous period, stressed Osmanović.
The Social Democratic Party MP in the BiH PA House of Representatives, Saša Magazinović said today that it is clear to everyone that the activation of the Membership Action Plan (MAP) is only a technical step, but does not mean NATO membership, and sees no problems in terms of meeting the conditions on the activation of the MAP.
Head of the Serb caucus in the BiH PA House of Representatives, Nenad Stevandić reiterated that the RS National Assembly passed a resolution on military neutrality, clarifying that “this was not a decision against NATO, but a decision on military neutrality.”
“If Serbia would to decide to become a NATO member, we would have to make a new decision that would define our position. This decision has to be passed by the National Assembly of RS, and for those who are guided by the principles of legitimacy, that decision is legally binding for everyone,” said Stevandić.
When it comes to Putin’s visit to Serbia and Russia's position on NATO, Stevandić argues that “Russia has never spoken anything bad about BiH, and that the country has never imposed an act of an international character that would harm BiH but has had fully fair approach towards BiH and equal towards everyone in BiH.”
Adoption of the Annual National Plan would ultimately mean activation of the Membership Action Plan (MAP) that BiH has waited for years, and this plan should offer answers to a set of policies in the sectors of defense, resources and legal issues, but the Council of Ministers still has not passed the document.
(FENA) S. R.
