Adil Osmanović: Mr. President, you always knew how to reach your goal

With the BiH anthem, recitation of Fatiha and a minute of silence in the main hall of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, a commemoration was held for the late SDA president Sulejman Tihić. The commemoration was attended by family members, numerous friends, colleagues, representatives of all levels of government, the diplomatic corps, international organizations, and admirers of Sulejman Tihić's character and work, Patria reports.

After paying tribute, the attendees were addressed by the Deputy President of SDA and Chairman of the BiH Presidency Bakir Izetbegović, Chairman of the House of Peoples of BiH Dragan Čović, Deputy Chairman of the House Staša Košarac, and SDA Vice Presidents Asim Sarajlić and Adil Osmanović.

Bakir Izetbegović, Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency and SDA Deputy President, stated that the premature death of Sulejman Tihić is a great loss for everyone, for his family and friends, for his Bosnia and Herzegovina and all its citizens, and for his SDA, which he led.

- Sulejman Tihić was a good man, an exemplary father, husband, and grandfather to his five grandchildren. He was a diligent, responsible, and exceptionally capable politician and statesman. He offered cooperation, solutions, and agreements instead of arguments, divisions, and animosity. He loved his homeland and all the people in it and did not differentiate between them. Neither the period in concentration camps from April to August 1992, nor the torture he endured then changed him. He remained consistent with his political philosophy and humanistic views - said Izetbegović.

Adil Osmanović, SDA Vice President, stated that President Tihić was unobtrusive but persistent.

- He always knew how to reach his goal. He always said step by step, but always forward. Under your leadership, we made a great stride towards strengthening the state of BiH. As the party president, as a member of the BiH Presidency, you invested enormous effort and energy to significantly improve the situation. You strongly advocated for the rights of all citizens of BiH. You always knew how to act exceptionally. Through your numerous important appeals, you made BiH better and improved the position of all its citizens - said Adilović.

He further stated that Tihić learned political breadth and moderation from the first president, the late Alija Izetbegović, working with him as the vice president of the SDA party.

- Seeing your dedication, decisiveness, and perseverance, he entrusted you with the most important jobs and tasks, first in the RS region, and then at the state level. Ultimately, this resulted in his recommendation for your election to the head of the SDA. He was sure that he was leaving the helm in the right hands - said Osmanović, adding that Tihić worked on strengthening the SDA and its democratization.

- You tirelessly worked on the reintegration of BiH as a multi-ethnic state of equal peoples and citizens and on its inclusion in Euro-Atlantic integrations. You made a huge contribution to the process of reconciliation of peoples in BiH and the restoration of inter-ethnic trust. You always said we must continue with the process of agreement and compromise, and you did not just stop at words but also acted upon it with your selfless effort and work - added Osmanović.

He added that Tihić, as the Vice President of the National Assembly of the RS, experienced unprecedented threats, pressures, and difficulties, but that he represented his people honorably, with dignity, and wisely.

- You built the party and its institutions and persistently sought the strengthening of the democratization of its bodies. You strived for all opinions to be heard, especially opposing ones. Without a doubt, dear Mr. President, you left a strong mark on the democratic foundation of the SDA. We, your colleagues whom you always respected and consulted, had the opportunity to learn a lot from you. You showed us that stable and mature politics require goodwill, understanding, breadth in decision-making, and mutual respect. You said that we must conduct serious politics, politics of compromise, and we will, Mr. President. We will continue on the path you led us. We will do everything to take our dear country BiH to the place where you so ardently wished it to be and worked for, into the community of advanced European states. Into the EU and NATO alliance. The legacy will, God willing, Mr. President, be fulfilled - added Osmanović.