Obama and Josipovic

Patrick

This wasn't much of an article. In fact, it consists of only about five or six lines. It is a White House Press release saying that Barrack Obama is sending a United States Ambassador/Delegate to attend the inauguration of our layed back, conducting-in-his-spare-time, president. It i, however, probably minorly significant, seeing that this must mean that the United States supports our new president. This is usually a good thing.

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4646307200917252116

Pre-Presidency Ivo Josipovic

In a search to find more statements by the Republic of Croatia to the U.N., I happened upon this UN document from 2002.

Addressed to the Secretary General, the Republic of Croatia at the time had nominated current president Ivo Josipovic as a candidate for election as a judge of the ICC (International Criminal Court.)

"Mr. Josipovic's Curriculum Vitae and a statement submitted pursuant to Article 36.4(a) of the Rome Statues of the International Criminal Court and paragraph 7 of the resolution of the Assembly of States Parties relating to the procedure for the nomination and election of judges, the Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor of the ICC, are attached to this Note."
But, not in this pdf document . . .

There is a stamp of "received" at the bottom of the first page dated Nov 12, 2002. Ivo Josipovic's has represented Croatia at the ICJ and ICTY, yet the ICC is missing. I'll have to do more digging to discover whatever became of this letter to Kofi Annan.


by: Calaya

Kosovo's Embassies

by Bri Roozen

Only two days after celebrating the second anniversary of Kosovo's independence from Serbia, it has officially opened its own embassy in Zagreb. This is just another blow to Serbia, who along with China, Russia, and a slew of UN members still considers Kosovo a fractured part of the larger country. Kosovo's first ambassador spoke at the opening, mentioning "Croatia is very important to us, it provides a good model for us in terms of what we need to do to achieve our goal of joining NATO and the European Union. A tall order for the little country when Croatia itself still isn't a member of the EU, and has just barely begun its time in NATO. Regardless of the uphill battle ahead for the little not-quite-Serb state, its nice to see they're not backing down, even if maybe they should just a bit.

Serbia is Suing Again

By: Erica McCauley

I mean, really? Will this split relationship ever end between Croatia and Serbia. It seems lately that Serbia has been really annoyed with Croatia. Today, Serbia claimed another international lawsuit against a Croatian holiday in the name of thousands of Serbs that were banished in 1995 by the Ustache. In 2006, the Republic of Croatia named August 5 as "Oluja" day. This day commemorates the victory over Serbia in 1995. It now bothers Serbia in 2010. They claim that this day does not commemorate victory, but is a celebrated of ethnic cleansing and murder of the Serbian people. This is yet another attempt at seeking justice for those who were brutally murdered and emotionally damaged during the rampages of the Ustache. "Consequently we request court trial against those who planned and committed it, compensation of damage, safe return of the expelled and their safe life there," Sasa Obradovic, the chief of the Serbian legal team, said. The Croatian response to this lawsuit is that it is "nonsense, and should be ignored".

P.S. Groovy Picture:


http://www.bosniafacts.info/maps/y_haplogroups_map_of_the_balkans.png

A match made in heaven? A new union for Croatia

By: Gina Fazio

Egypt’s minister of trade and industry, Rachid Mohamed Rachid, brought 20 businessmen with him on a trip to Croatia recently to look at economic opportunities in Croatia.

They began talking with Croatian businessmen on Monday about opportunites infinance, energy, transport, pharmaceuticals, and tourism, including health tourism. Most importantly the Epyptian businessmen expressed an interest in purchasing and opening new banks in Croatia. Unfortunately for them no banks are up for sale.

The businessmen emphasize they were only in Croatia to establish new relationships. They had no intention of buying or selling anything....this time.

EU favorable to Leftist Josipovic

By: Gina Fazio

The inauguration of Ivo Josipovic as the third president since Croatia's independence is a breath of fresh air to the EU. After Tudjman ruled the nation with an iron fist through the war of Yugoslavia and current president Stipe Mesic who is accredited with turning Croatia into a politically outward looking democracy Jopsipovic, intellectual and composer turned president is now taking over. He ran a campaign based heavily on stamping out corruption in Croatia; a serious hurdle for the country to overcome if it is to join the EU.

However many hold out hope that the new president will be able to help guide Croatia into the EU. Croatia only joined NATO last year and hopes its new alliances with the European block will help forge the way to EU membership.

A few EU officials will be at Josipovic's inauguration however one prominent figure is missing. Serbian president Boris Tadic is boycotting the inaguration due to the appearance of the Kosovo president. However, the ambassador for Serbia in Zagreb will be present.

Croatian Airline Cabin Crew on Strike

Patrick Maloney

A strike is beginning Friday in the Croatian airline industry. This is following an inability to reach an agreement about benefits and salaries. The airline is claiming that the workers demands are unrealistic. However, it is difficult to see their point of view seeing that the airline employees agreed to a 5% reduction in pay, asking in return that the airline be more transparent with their spending, showing employees where the money was going. The airline declined this concession and now face a looming strike.

Croatian goes to fashion week in London

Visitors to London Fashion Week are to get a taste of Croatia when one of the country's fashion brands takes to the catwalk.

According to Croatianvilla.com, Croatian designers are preparing for the fashion week in London that will present the fall/winter 2011 collections. Croatia will be participating in this event for the first time, the fashion week in London is one of the most prestigious fashion proceedings in the country.

Hippy Garden makes clothing for the modern city women, and will be showcasing her 2011 collection in London. She gets her aspiration from the bohemian and sexy urban feel for the clothes from staying at the villa in Croatia. Garden has recently opened a franchise store in Mostar Bosnia and Herzegovina, taking advantage of one of the largest shopping centers in Europe.

Hina Latif

Neo-Nazi's arrested

Jenica ALsip

More than 30 Neo-Nazi members were arrested for conspiring to hold a Neo-Nazi concert with the band Blue Max in Croatia. Most of those arrested were released but 3 were fined and jailed for wearing nazi insignia's and one was fined and jailed for assaulting a police officer.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/310638,croats-sentenced-for-organizing-neo-nazi-concert.html

Road Trip

On Monday, Croatia's prime minister attempted to save a euro2.7 billion ($3.65 billion) deal to build a highway in Montenegro. "Croatian Konstruktor Inzenjering d.d. won the bid last year to build a 170-kilometer stretch of highway from the Adriatic coast to the Montenegrin border with Serbia."The company currently does not have the financial stability to go through with the project but must prove the money is attainable by the end of February so the project can go on.

Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said Monday that the highway investment is "extremely important and valuable for our two countries." This job would employ 5,000 Croatian construction workers and engage Montenegrin construction facilities. If the Croatian company cannot do the job, it will be handed over to a Isreali-Greek company, which had the second bid.

By: Liz Hasseld

[Musical] Ustaše Revival

Bulletin:
Are Saturday nights a drag?
Would you like a little excitement to spice up the melancholy
instead of your old friend Marbolo?
Come to the premium musical experience!!

Introduction Blue Max, German neo-Nazi rock band
[and brothers, Croat bands too]
Krizevci highly welcomes you!

**Due to unfortune, show in Krizevci has been stopped by local police. German & Italian tourist visiting arrested with 30 other fans. Police report says, "six Croats were charged for displaying Nazi insignias, verbally assaulting police officers and not reporting the concert to authorities."

What does this mean, this reporting?

Re-preparation in process.

More posts are to be soon.


by: Calaya

"God bless . . .ummmm, I mean Salaam."

It is interesting to note after all the previous discussions of EU candidacy, two of the states in question will meet this week.

Chairperson of the Croatian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Frano Matusic will be received in Istanbul first by the Chairman of the Turkish parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Murat Mercan and second by Alaattin Buyukkaya, Chairman of the Turkey-Croatia Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group.

Bukukkaya is also a duputy of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's Justice and Development (AK) party, which has the majority in parliament.

Who knew such a "Friendship Group" group existed? But why is the more intriguing question . . .

The fascination in two fold:
1) In summation, the AK is in power mostly due to the extremely devote, even fanatical, Muslims of Turkey [originating from the eastern part of the country, such people are known as maganda.] But Croatia is Roman Catholic. And if history and our study of the war of the 90s testifies to anything, Croatia really hasn't cared all that much about Muslims in the past. Hence, why the "friendship"?
2) With the visit only lasting two days and some change, and the fact that Turkey's current government is known to be highly religiousized AND extremely corrupt, what does "civilized" Roman Catholic Croatia have to discuss with "middle-eastern"/"unsafe" Islamic Turkey--and in such short amount of time?

Only the close of the week may be able to point to answers.

by: Calaya

Celts in Croatia?

Cultural Lesson from the Balkans:

Thought the Scots owned the copyright to the infamous bagpipes? Think again . . .

"The twobored bagpipe system is used by all nations within the Carpathians including Slovakians, Hungarians, Rumanians, Serbians and Croatians" A blog article entitled

Croatian Bagpipe from the Drava River Region in A

discusses the uniqueness of the Hungarian/Croatian bagpipe. It originates in the northeast near the area of the Drava River and the Hungarian boarder. Unlike others of its kind, it is tuned to the key of A. Hence, if one is accustom to the northern isle instrument tunes, the sound of this contraption may appear very different and unusual to untrained ears. Also, the type of songs and tunes played on this sack of air differ from other Balkan music (particularly the southern style of Dalmatia in Croatia.)

If one were to explore the numerous comments on the article, one would find a heated debated over the true origination of Balkan and Greek "bagpipes."

Check out the link for pictures and youtube video in the kitchen of enthusiast Andor Vegh.

by: Calaya

Kosovo Sparks Divisions in the EU

With the second anniversary of Kosovo's deceleration of independence approaching, divisions with the European Union continue to arise. According to the Guardian, A court ruling from the International Court of Justice is expected in the upcoming months, but the Quint, composed of Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and the United States has exerted pressure on Serbia to recognize the independence of Kosovo. Spain, who ascended to the presidency of the EU in January, is opposed to such a move, and instead wishes for a mutually agreed upon solution.

There position is in the minority in the EU, with most nations siding with the Quint, who warned Serbia to not take aggressive actions. Serbia has vowed to oppose Kosovo's independence in peaceful, diplomatic and legal means. Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania are the only EU states which do not recognize Kosovo. Spain has opposed recognition because of fear of unsettling the fragile peace in the region, as well as European integration. Spain's domestic policies may also be shaping their opinion on the issue.

By Jacob Simkins

Milosevic's Money-Man Starts Re-Trial

Angela Hager

Mihalj Kertes, the former chief of customs services for Yugoslavia, is going to start a three year process all over again. Kertes allegedly funneled $80 million from customs revenues into Milosevic's socialist party. These funds were crucial to Milosevic.

Now, because a panel judge has been replaced, the trial is going to start over from the beginning. Kertes is being tried in a Serbian court, in which the accused is tried by 3 judges. When one is replaced, the trial starts over again.

Kertes is one of four originally tried. Milosevic was also to be tried for embezzlement, but died in 2006. Of the two other men, one also died, and the other is already in prison for war crimes.

Serb Pararmilitary Group in Croatia

By: Erica McCauley

Serb paramilitary group, Croatian Friendship Group, will be going to Zagreb on Monday. Friendship Group's president, Janko Veselinovic, claims that this is an attempt to get the two presidents to have a cordial meeting. Veselinovic decided to execute this plan when Serb president, Boris Tadic, refused to attend the inauguration of the new Croatian president, Ivo Josipovic. There is no meeting planned to this date; however, the group's goal is to initiate conversation between both presidents. Its is time for Serbia and Croatia to put their pride aside and discuss unresolved issues from the wars in the 90's. These problems include: "the return of refugees, the construction of infrastructure in places where they would return to, so that their return could be successful, the unresolved border questions, the seized properties, and a very important part of our talks must be the initiative for improving the circumstances of the Croatian minority in Serbia. Because of all of this, communication cannot afford to be delayed. (Becker, 1)"
On another note, Serbian member of parliament Nebojša Radelkovic will travel to Croatia on Monday to begin a peace talk to have both countries drop the genocide lawsuits against one another. It seems that there are many high officials within both Croatia and Serbia that wish to see a patched relationship between the two states.

Croatia limiting salaries of local officials.

By Jeff Gimm

Croatia has passed a new law that will limit the pay rate of local mayors and other high local officials. Their salaries cannot be any higher than the deputy prime minister of Croatia. Additionally, local officials who are receiving state aid will have their salaries cut by 20%. All of this comes as Croatia has stumbled slightly in its EU application and while layoffs are happening around the country.

Celebrating Stepinac in Rome

Soch Mel

After talking about Cardinal Stepinac, I found this blog/story on him. Cardinal William Joseph Levada held a mass for the 50th anniversary for when Cardinal Stepinac became a martyr. The ceremony took place in Rome in the Church of St. Girolamo.

The mass talked about the great things Stepinac had done and how he exemplify what a good person should be. Here's a quote...

"he lived what they stand for… sacrificing his own life for the truth and the unity of the Church in Croatia with the Successor of Peter.”

I'm not sure if a celebration took place in Zagreb. Since Stepinac is a national hero, there was probably a mass in Zagreb as well.

Crack-down on corruption!

by Bri Roozen

Newly inaugurated Croatian president Ivo Josipovic has openly admitted determination to destroy corruption within Croatia as one of several attempts to appease the EU. In recent years, national highway companies, railroad companies, university professors, and even the former defense minister have all been charged with embezzlement; some up to $2 million. The biggest cast, however, is the food companies Podravka. Mostly privatized, the government does own part of this massive business, which employs 7,000 people in a town near Zagreb. Its success has lead to six top managers being arrested on charges of embezzlement of up to $47.5 million. The scandals continue, as journalists fight to uncover corruption, only to suffer the wrath of Croatia's criminal underground. In 2008, a journalist was killed in a car bomb suspected to be caused by the Croatian underground. Currently seven journalists live under constant police protection after uncovering sensitive information that could ultimately lead to their deaths. As part of their bid to join the European Union, corruption is one issue that will have to be eradicated in the near future. How Josipovic hopes to accomplish this though, is still unknown.

He is thinking about composing an opera about corruption after his retirement though.

Croatia and Economy

Jenica

www.balkans.com/open-news.oho?uniquenumber=47988

Although croatia is planning to become a member of the UN in 2012 they're economy is still lagging. an economy based on tourism and state investment is still suffering from high taxes and public spending. Attention to farming is something that remains important inorder to take advantage EU funding and help get the economy on track.

Inauguration Day!

Angela Hager

Ivo Josipović will be inaugurated in Croatia today. Josipović is the third president Croatia has had since it declared its independence.  

Every country surrouding Croatia will have a president present, except Serbia.  The presidents of Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo are coming to the inauguration.  Also, US secretary of State Hillary Clinton's deputy will also be in attendence. The ceremony will be held in Zagreb.

Karadzic wants Secret Papers

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic claims that secret documents, if released, would help his defense against his war crimes charges.

Representatives of Germany, France, Croatia and Iran object that these documents be released. These countries will be appearing at the Yugoslav war trials tribunal. Karadzic's trial is scheduled to begin next month.

Karadzic claims these papers prove smuggling of weapons from countries such as Croatia, France, and Germany to Muslims in Bosnia. He holds up the claim that these countries were aligned against Bosnian Serbs.

By: Liz Hasseld

Protection of LGBT Rights important to EU

By: Gina Fazio

The European Parliment has said that candidate states to the EU; Turkey, Croatia and Macedonia will have to prove to the EU that they are "protectors of LGBT Rights" to gain entrance to the EU. Croatia in particular was singled out in 2009 for its ban on Zagreb Pride and failure to legislate anti-discrimination laws.

The EU affirms that the anti-discrimination laws must already be in place in candidate countries as a part of Article 19 of the EU that states all minorities must be protected including sexual orientation.

Serbia Boycotts President's Inauguration

LOOK AT THAT HANDSOME GUY!

By: Erica McCauley

Josipovic says that he regrets to hear that the President of Serbia will not be attending his inauguration. Serbian President disagrees with Croatia's public recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. Serbia just cannot get real with anyone... ever. Josipovic is to be inaugurated sometime this week. He took it upon himself to extend a warm welcome to President Tadic of Serbia. Tadic respectfully declined. In the Balkans, Croatia and Serbia remain two of the largest states. It is critical that they remain civil with each other. Kosovo became independent in 2007, and is now recognized by 63 states as its own autonomous state.

Croatian unemployment rises

by Jeff Gimm

According to the Macedonian News Agency, about 580 people a day are losing their jobs in Croatia. The current jobless number hovers around 300,000 people. That is up by 17,000 in 2009. All of this comes as Croatia is having difficulties with the negotiations to join the European Union.

47 robberies + 3 men=460,000 Euros in damage

Hina Latif

According to the Croatian Times, the gang members including 2 Croats, and one Austrian, concentrated on houses and apartments (11 houses and 36 apartment buildings) where they breaking in stealing coins, cash, jewelry, and weapons. As two of the members masked would enter the house they spray windows and doors to ward off dogs, and use technological devices to detect whether or not if its artificial or real jewelry. They sold the jewelry in Austrian and other countries , and used the money frm the thefts to finacne their addictions on gambling, and paying debts. They are being held in Graz for their trial, they were caught as thy were driving into Croatia by police after following tip-offs from the public.

Snow causing problems in Croatia

According to Croatian Times, due to the snow there has been a reported of 30 car accidents,in Zagrab alone. Many people have visited the doctors office due t severe injury, from falling, although most patients are now released, the snow which started on Teusday causing heavy damage over night, as buses crashed into fences due to the icy roads, Meteorologist expect for the snow to stop on Friday. The most snow, 1.7 metres, fell at Zavizan Mountain.

Hina Latif

EU Aspirations Part II

Patrick Maloney

The MEPs will be meeting on 10 February 2010 to discuss the future of Croatia, Macedonia, and Turkey in relation to the European Union. The committee's main concerns are Croatia's corruption, Macedonia's inability to arrive at a name conclusion, and Turkey's lack of advancement in Human Rights.

The main concern with Croatia is the Judiciary, which has, up till now, not always been cooperative with the ICTY. The committee believes that negotiations with Croatia may be able to close by 2010 if conditions are met.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/027-68447-032-02-06-903-20100204STO68446-2010-01-02-2010/default_en.htm

EU aspirations

Croatia sends their wine to China

by Jenica

This is a little more of a cultural posting. Croatian wine has not been sold anywhere other than Croatia until now. Croatia has made a deal with China to sell their wine there. It is estimated that this will be a successful move because China does not import very many varieties of wine, especially white wine. Hopefully once proven successful there Croatia will export their wine here to the states.

http://www.guide2croatia.net/news/530/Croatian-Wine-on-the-Up

Josipovic turning around Criminal Government?

by Bri Roozen

Strange enough, Ivo Josipovic will be the first Croatian president to not have spent any time in prison. The first two Croatian presidents, Mesic and Tudjman but spent time in prison while Croatia was still a part of Yugoslavia for promoting nationalism. Josipovic, our resident musician and lawyer, never had such an opportunity. Instead of spending his time during the split of Yugoslavia fighting for justice and a single, unified Croatia, he was attending law school and composing music for the national Croatian orchestra. One has to wonder if this time pursuing enlightenment will help Josipovic in the politically charged field ahead, or if his time would have been better spent mixing Molotov cocktails to throw at Serbian attackers.

In other Croatia related news, a Croatian kitten was featured on thedailykitten.com

http://thedailykitten.com/kitten/682/

Mesić wants intervention!!

By: Gina Fazio

Outgoing President Stjepan Mesić is urging Croatia to take action in the Republic of Srpska, a highly Serb populated area, to prevent it from seceding from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik has received advice to call for a referendum in the region to discuss issues in the RS. Stjepan Mesić has been called a war-mongerer for taking this stance but refutes this saying that the "real warmongers are those that are urging RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik to call a referendum" also that "the unity of Bosnia and Herzegovina must survive".

Stjepan Mesić's comments are said to have been made in an informal meeting with a journalist. However his comments have had a ripple effect all the way to a UN Security Council session.

Mesić is due to officially step down as president next week. After this Ivo Josipović will be inaugurated as Croatia's new president.

A hero dies

Ivan Vranetic, a Yugoslav partisan died at age 84. He was honored for saving Jews in Croatia during the Holocaust, and was a leader of a memorial group honoring other heroes from World War II. After the war he moved to Israel where he married one of the women he saved. More than 22,700 non-Jews have been honored for risking their lives during the WWII.

Ivan Vranetic, was buried last Thursday in Tel Aviv.

By: Liz Hasseld

Unemployment Rises in Croatia

By: Erica McCauley

In December 2009 the unemployment rate rose 10% compared to December 2008, which only rose 1.1%. This unemployment is coming from the Mining sectors. This sector alone has had unemployment rates rise 16% annually. Following the mining sector, the industry sector dropped 10.4% in unemployment rates. Since last year, the only sector to survive the rise in unemployment is the production sector. Their profits went up 2.4% from last year.

EU foreign policy chief takes dig at Croatia.

by Jeff Gimm

This past week, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi while in Israel, said it was his greatest desire to see the country join the EU. These sentiments were an echo of a speech given earlier in the year EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana. When speaking about the unique relationship between the EU and Israel, Solana commented:

"I am sorry to say, but I don't see the president of Croatia here," Solana continued, referring to Stjepan Mesic, who also attended the three-day conference.

"His country is a candidate for the European Union, but your relation today with the European Union is stronger than [our] relation to Croatia.”

While Solana was demonstrating a point that he feels geography doesn't have to be one of the major factors in joining the EU and the EU is an economic alliance, the dig was unnecessary. Particularly with Mesic out of the room.

Vacation time for thousands of Croatian troops

by Bri Roozen

National budget restraints in Croatia has called for some major cutbacks in spending. One avenue? The Croatian army. As of Saturday plans have been made to send nearly half of Croatia's troops on an extended vacation to avoid having to pay them. This vacation, which will last until Spring, will affect roughly 7,000 individuals.

The budget cutbacks has also prevented the purchase of fighter jets until the economy turns around, and the number of new vehicles will be reduced.

Germany supports Croatia to join EU, but won't say exactly when.

Soch Mel

Germany has stated that it will support Croatia’s effort to join the EU, but it has not set a date for when Croatia will be part of the EU. Croatia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2004.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor discussed that objectives need to be met first; “Once those tasks have been fulfilled, accession will be possible,” Ms. Merkel.

Croatia’s currently fighting corruption and trying to resolve a border dispute with Slovenia. The EU is mostly concern about the corruption that Croatia faces.

Bulgaria and Romania became part of the EU in 2007; their corruption problem has not been resolved. This caused people to have unpopular views for EU enlargement in Germany.

Croatia, the state that Germany likes the most of the former ex-Yugoslav states, is seen as the only Western Balkan state that will be part of the EU in the short term.

Hopefully, Croatia can resolve some issues and have a stronger support from Germany!

Murder Trial Begins

Angela Hager

Four men have denied murdering a Croatian journalist. Ivo Pukanic was the editor of Nacional magazine. He and his marketing manager, Niko Franjic, were killed in 2008 in a car bomb. The attack is suspected to be from organized crime.

Pukanic was known for corruption investigations, and he often looked into members of high society. He exposed things like smuggling rings that went up to the highest levels.

The trial is actually being held in a maximum security prison, with bodyguards for the judge and prosecutors. Their safety is clearly an issue as it is widely believed that Pukanic was killed for his investigations and subsequent publishing.

Croatia: Professors, students convicted of bribery

Today (Monday February 1st), 3 university professors and 15 students have been convicted of corruption. They have been sentenced to prison for a scandal in which students bribed their professors to pass their exams. An accomplice who distributed as much as €2,000 ($2,800) in cash bribes from students to their professors in Zagreb, was also convicted.

The Croatian government is using this case as an example of their effort to fight corruption- an important element to join the European Union.

One of the convicted professors happened to be a professor in the economics faculty at Zagreb University, she was previously in charge of the government's Office for the Prevention of Conflicts of Interest. She was sentenced to one year and two months in prison.

By: Liz Hasseld

Furthering Peace Talks Between Bosnia and Croatia

By: Erica McCauley

Earlier this year, previous President of Croatia threatened Bosnia's Serb Entity for thinking about succeeding to an independent state. The plan was to succeed and become part of the "Super Serb" state; therefore, Croatia was doing its duty in supporting Bosnia remaining a completely independent state, not just solely a Bosnian Serb state. Not to mention if the Bosnian Serb state, Republika Srpska, succeeds, the Bosnian Croats would follow suit, Bosnia would be left in a Muslim state. That leaves the Balkans with a potential epicenter for terrorism.
Croatia would not need to take so much interest in it's neighbor, if the United States and European Union did not leave Bosnia high and dry. In the Dayton agreement after the war in 1995, the was an Office of High Representative established (OHR). OHR was used to maintain the country that had been recently put into shambles. However after 2006, OHR was dismantled, and Bosnia was left on its own.
It is unclear that anyone wants to help Bosnia after the abandonment of the West, and previous Croatian President Tudjman. However, the recent President of Croatia, Mesic, has taken a strong stance in supporting a unified, independent Bosnia. The future support of Bosnia remains stable with the new election of Josipovic. Josipovic has given a public statement, that he will not be taken military action on his fellow neighbor. He will continue the support of an independent Bosnian state.