Alkalaj warns America about false claims by Primorac and Dodik: BiH is not an extremist state

(Patria) - Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United States of America Sven Alkalaj reacted to articles published in the American newspaper The Washington Times, stating that Bosnia and Herzegovina is unjustifiably portrayed as an extremist and unstable state in them.

In his opinion piece from February 23, he stated that two recently published articles – an interview with SNSD President Milorad Dodik titled "Republika Srpska deserves independence" and an opinion piece by Max Primorac titled "Islamic state on NATO's border?" – claim that Bosnia and Herzegovina is becoming increasingly radicalized and unstable.

"We have recently witnessed synchronized xenophobic attacks on Bosnian society, which not so long ago survived mass killings, persecution, mass rapes, and concentration camps," Alkalaj stated.

According to him, the messages that Dodik and Primorac are spreading, as he claims, are reminiscent of the rhetoric of former Serbian President Slobodan Milošević, whom he calls the "Butcher of the Balkans." He recalled that the policies of the 1990s led to over two million refugees and over 100,000 deaths, culminating in the genocide in Srebrenica.

"Therefore, it is crucial that such public statements are considered with historical accuracy and moral clarity," the ambassador stated, adding that it is important to know "who Milorad Dodik and Max Primorac are".

Regarding Dodik, he stated that he is a "denier of genocide who personally decorated convicted war criminals responsible for the genocide in Srebrenica," and recalled that he identifies as a Chetnik, alluding to the historical role of that movement during World War II.

Citing the Israeli memorial institution Yad Vashem, Alkalaj quoted their description of the Chetnik movement: "As the Chetniks increased their cooperation with the Germans, their treatment of Jews in the areas under their control worsened, and they equated Jews with the hated Communists. There were many cases of Jews being killed or handed over to the Germans".

"These are historical facts, and we encourage you to verify them," Alkalaj stated.

In the article, he also recalled the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights according to which Jews and members of other minorities cannot be candidates for the Presidency of BiH. He emphasized that Bosniak political representatives supported constitutional amendments that would allow this, while Dodik and his political partners rejected them.

Addressing the claims about the alleged conversion of churches into mosques, the ambassador stated that during the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the so-called "Army of Republika Srpska" destroyed 534 mosques, while the Croatian Defence Council destroyed 80.

"At the same time, Bosniaks protected churches and synagogues, so that none were destroyed in the territories under the control of legal Bosnian forces," he stated.

He specifically addressed Primorac, claiming that he promotes the idea of a "third entity" and that his views reflect ideological patterns associated with the Ustaše movement. He also mentioned that Primorac's father was connected to emigrant structures that inherited that ideology, but added that "the sins of the father do not necessarily determine the views of the son," assessing that contemporary rhetoric that stigmatizes entire communities "inevitably requires serious analysis".

The ambassador also firmly rejected claims that the authorities in Sarajevo planned to sell the Sarajevo Haggadah.

"That is a shameful lie. Bosnia preserved the Haggadah through war, occupation, and genocide, protecting a symbol of interfaith heritage," he stated.

At the end of the column, he warned that the distortion of history and the incitement of ethnic tensions carry serious social consequences.

"In a world that continues to grapple with the legacy of the Holocaust and the Yugoslav wars, giving space to voices that align with genocidal ideologies represents a moral failure," he stated.

He concluded that before publishing or quoting political actors, their historical connections, ideological positions, and public statements must be thoroughly verified.

"History teaches us how dangerous indifference is in the face of extremist narratives. Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country that has survived aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing, deserves for its story to be told accurately and with moral responsibility," Ambassador Alkalaj stated.