Alija Izetbegović: I would not advise Bakir to run for the BiH Presidency!

The late Alija Izetbegović, the first president of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated during his lifetime that he would not advise his son Bakir to run for the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP).

Namely, in an interview he gave to the Sarajevo magazine »Start«, shortly before his death, Alija Izetbegović said that he would not advise his son to try to succeed him:

"If your son Bakir told you he wanted to run for the Presidency of BiH, or in a more distant future for the President of BiH, what would you advise him?

- Not to do it. But, as far as I know, Bakir's ambitions do not go in that direction – Alija said at the time. However, he apparently did not know his son's ambitions well enough, as Bakir ran for the BiH Presidency just a few years after his death, and this year he is running for a new term. In the interesting interview, Alija spoke about many things that are still relevant today.

For example, when asked which young politician he trusts the most, he answered – Amor Mašović. However, despite Alija's trust, Mašović never advanced further than a federal and cantonal deputy in his party. Also, when asked who the SDA should form a coalition with, Alija said – the SDP, and that »because they want Bosnia and Herzegovina«.

When asked about the then Reis, and now independent candidate for the BiH Presidency, Dr. Mustafa Cerić, Alija said that he is »the most educated and most active Reis in the history of this institution«. This differs greatly from what his son Bakir says about Dr. Cerić, NAP reports.