ZOVKO PROTESTED: Green Party MEP Franz Promotes Individuals Known for Chauvinistic Views, Challenging the Dayton Agreement and Constituent Peoples.

MEP Željana Zovko has sent a protest letter to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, the Chairman of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister, and the President of the Conference of Delegation Chairs of the EP, Inmi Rodríguez-Piñero, regarding the unilateral and biased behavior of the Member of the European Parliament, Romeo Franz from the Greens party, in organizing activities of the Delegation for Relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, which Franz chairs, and in which MEP Zovko serves as a vice-chair, reports the Croatian Media Service.

Zovko had previously warned about the problematic behavior of the mentioned MEP, and the latest incident is related to yesterday’s forum on current challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which Franz organized unilaterally, disregarding inclusivity and diversity of political perspectives and ethnic backgrounds in selecting speakers. In the contentious forum, Franz only gives the floor to one side, primarily to individuals who challenge the provisions of the preamble of the Dayton Constitution of BiH, and consequently the Election Law, and to individuals known for chauvinistic and Croatophobic views advocating for the abolishment of constituent peoples.

Such behavior places partisan interests above the broader goal of promoting dialogue and understanding in the region and undermines the principles of justice and transparency advocated by the European Parliament, on which MEP Zovko bases her entire work. Zovko emphasized that Franz dismissed her concerns regarding the selection of speakers, and she unsuccessfully sought from him the criteria upon which the selection process was based.

The initiative to send the protest letter was also supported by MEPs Glavak, Ressler, Sokol, and Ilčić, who jointly expressed regret and deep concern for the integrity and impartiality of the procedures of the EP Delegation for Relations with BiH and Kosovo, namely its president Franz. The letter emphasizes that the choice of speakers at the online forum is extremely biased and limited to a one-sided political view within Bosnia and Herzegovina, ignoring the significant contributions and insights of experts and stakeholders representing various perspectives on the situation in the country.

The letter also highlights the necessity of maintaining the highest standards of integrity and fairness in European relations with BiH and the rest of the region, especially considering the upcoming meeting of the European Council.

The forum was held ahead of the forthcoming EU-BiH Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) meeting on March 13th and 14th. /HMS/