Dr. Cerić: BiH needs diplomatic network reform

- Bosnia and Herzegovina does not need charity, but sustenance, and for that sustenance we must try harder - said Dr. Mustafa Cerić, independent candidate for the Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina at an election rally held on Wednesday in Zenica.

The foreign policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is under the jurisdiction of the Presidency, he added, "is still designed in a humanitarian way and presents our country to the world as a victim, seeking pity and favor from friendly countries".

- We must change this urgently. Our primary state interest is membership in the European Union and NATO. The weak and disoriented, provincially burdened politicians are slaves to conspiracy theories, and I tell you that we are not victims of international conspiracies, but of incompetent and immoral politicians - emphasized Dr. Cerić, adding:

- How out of touch the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is with the times and the context of international relations is best shown by the official website of that institution, which still displays the document "Basic Directions of BiH Foreign Policy" from 2003, signed by Borislav Paravac. It is obvious that nothing has changed for the members of the Presidency since 2003.

Changes must happen, and in that regard, Dr. Cerić claims, we should start with the de-politicization of the state Presidency, as well as the Bosnian-Herzegovinian diplomatic-consular network.

- Instead of party affiliation and nepotism, which the members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina have mostly followed in appointing ambassadors and consuls, I will advocate for the professionalization of the foreign policy service. Our country should be represented in the world by the best in terms of knowledge, virtues, diplomatic skills, and achieved results in diplomatic practice, and certainly not by the most suitable party oligarchies and the most loyal family and clan interests - stated Dr. Cerić.

It is obvious, he added, that the most responsible have not even been interested in foreign affairs, so economic diplomacy, as well as cultural diplomacy, has not even crossed their minds.

- There are no prominent artists or people with international biographies in the field of culture or science in our diplomacy. According to the existing legislation, they cannot even be engaged in embassies because they are not civil servants. This must be changed - emphasized Dr. Cerić.

He also pointed out the impermissibly neglected relationship of the diplomatic-consular network with emigrants and the diaspora.

Bosniaks, he stressed, thus show that they do not respect themselves or their compatriots in neighboring countries.

- How is it that the previous Bosniak members of the Presidency did not think of and initiate the opening of a consulate of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Novi Pazar, for example? I don't know what they are afraid of or ashamed of? If they had read the EU documents on minority rights, they would have seen that these rights are sacred in the EU and that the level of readiness of candidate countries for membership in the great European family is measured by the respect for minority rights in the EU - concluded Dr. Cerić.