Croatian President rejects Bosnia's interference accusations

N1

Croatia’s President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said that she was "really concerned over the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina," but rejected claims made by some Bosnian politicians that her country is interfering in Bosnian internal affairs too much.

Croatia’s Prime Minister and members of the European Parliament have been complaining to EU officials about the results of the October election in Bosnia and the way the Bosnian Croat member of the country’s tripartite presidency was chosen.

Each member of the body represents one of the three ethnic majorities – Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs. 

Croatia's leadership claims that the elected Croat member is not a true representative of the Bosnian Croats because mostly the numerically dominant Bosniaks had elected him, while most of Croats voted for someone else. They insist that Bosnia changes its Election Law after the country's Constitutional Court declared some of its provisions unconstitutional.

But several Bosnian officials have accused Croatia’s leadership of meddling with Bosnia’s internal issues.

Grabar-Kitarovic said she “absolutely rejects” such allegations and emphasized that it was Bosnia’s Constitutional Court that issued the ruling and that ordered changes to be made.

“This is why we will – along with other countries that insist on the Election Law changes, including EU members and the US – insist on the establishment of a functional and legitimate government for the benefit of all in Bosnia,” she added.