The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) held its regular retreat in Mostar, where party officials discussed current issues, focusing on the European integration process and necessary reforms.
“We had three panels today. The first addressed our European path and the challenges ahead, the second focused on marking the fourth decade of HDZ BiH’s activities, and the third was my task, where I spoke about political, economic, and technological challenges and their impact on the mission of the party,” stated HDZ BiH President Dragan Čović.
Constitutiveness: The Foundation of BiH
Čović emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s current constitutional framework is based on the principles of the constitutiveness of its peoples, as defined by the Dayton Agreement.
“Regardless of how someone envisions a different Bosnia and Herzegovina, whether as unitary or through division and separatism, it was founded on the principles of constitutiveness, and it will live by those principles. How successfully it does so depends on us,” Čović said.
Growth Plan and European Integration
Responding to questions about the Growth Plan, Čović highlighted the visible progress but warned of potential obstacles.
“Whenever we make good progress, someone seems to try to pull the chair out from under us. I hope this time it won’t happen. Everything we planned to agree on should be finalized next week. Two laws are in the final stages of harmonization, as are the Growth Plan and the negotiating framework. I urge our partners from abroad to leave decision-making to the domestic institutions—unnecessary external assistance can complicate the process,” Čović stated.
HDZ BiH Renewal and Future
Discussing the future of HDZ BiH, Čović underscored the importance of new generations of politicians.
“HDZ BiH is already organized as a living organism with decision-making networks. Today, we promoted the 13th generation of the HDZ BiH Political Academy, and I expect significant renewal within the party. These young leaders will be at the forefront of Croatian politics in BiH over the next five years,” he concluded.