"Those unable to keep up with the pace we will impose should better step down. Those not ready to sacrifice themselves, work hard and earn their pay will have to change their act. Otherwise, the wisest thing for them to do is to retire," Covic said in an interview with the Banja Luka-based Nezavisne Novine newspaper published on Saturday.
The leader of the strongest Bosnian Croat party said that the present administrative division of Bosnia-Herzegovina into two entities -- the Muslim-Croat Federation and the Serb entity known as Republika Srpska -- did not ensure the equality of the three constituent ethnic groups.
"Unless we are strong enough, I fear that High Representative Paddy Ashdown will be forced to pass a constitutional solution before leaving Bosnia-Herzegovina and who knows what kind of a measure that will be," Covic said.