Duraković: Kitarović's statement continues aggressor policy

One of the leading intellectuals in BiH, academic, orientalist Esad Duraković was a guest on tonight's Pressing on N1 television.

Duraković is known as a realist who speaks openly, contrary to politicians who spread populism.

- Our reality is a caricature of a sidewalk. The issues are grim, but they are part of our reality and we have to deal with them. I have the privilege of being honest and open, and in line with that, I act pessimistically. I have no moral or intellectual right to appear before a large audience and spread illusions to people - Duraković said.

When asked by host Amir Zukić why other intellectuals are silent, Duraković said, "very few of us speak, and that is a problem I highlight in the media."

- The academic community is mostly silent, as are Bosniak institutions that do not react to anything. If someone is given by God to act metaphysically, and they do not act in accordance with that knowledge, what are they then? They are a kind of hypocrite. People have no right to remain silent in these times - he said.

He added that religious elites must act educationally.

- Religious elites should act educationally, preventively, and warn their flock or congregation. With petty profits in this world, they lose eternity, speaking from a believer's perspective. They should know that.

Why don't religious leaders call out politicians, whom they know include criminals and corrupt individuals?

- The thing is that the clergy, religious leaders, are generally such that they are fundamentally selfish and look after their own interests, and that they are mostly people who do not adhere to religious principles. They have, throughout history, in most cases, been in some kind of alliance with politicians who are corrupt and unstable. In this way, it is good for both. God, I know from Islam, most hates hypocritical people because faith in itself implies complete honesty and no obstruction - Duraković said.

He added that the previous system is often attacked and the current one is favored.

- They very often attack the previous system, which had shortcomings, and in contrast, they favor this system, which is more chaos than a system. Today, it is an illusion that we live in freedom. What is our freedom? That I can shout 'Assalamu alaikum' from one sidewalk to another, but I cannot get an apartment, I cannot get my children jobs without connections, if I go to the hospital, I have to bring medicine and bandages... What kind of freedom is that?

When asked to comment on the statement of Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, who sent a sharp message to BiH, especially Muslims, saying that Croatia's stability is most threatened from BiH, and besides Dodik, she specifically addressed Islam, saying that Muslims in BiH are changing, that Islam is becoming radical, academic Duraković said that her statement continues the negative, aggressive policy from Croatia towards BiH.

- Let's not forget that recently Croatian Prime Minister Milanović said that BiH is "big shit." The Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs in Stolac said that it is Croatian territory. These are diplomatic incidents of the first order. We have an announcement from Croatia that the new government will focus on the political situation in BiH, which means they are attacking our independence. We have an announcement from a parliamentarian that they will blackmail BiH's path to the EU by resolving the issue of Croatian constitutionality, which is fabricated. I am very sad to have to say this because it is a kind of hypocrisy. Croatia should be our friend - Duraković believes.

What is the purpose of a certain type of initiative for federalization, the host asked.

- After the elections, there is talk of federalizing BiH, reorganizing the FBiH. All of this leads to further fragmentation of BiH, now the Federation into what is most disastrous, and that is fragmentation along ethnic lines. Any fragmentation in BiH on a national basis is a death sentence for BiH. Federalization is something that is a mortal threat to BiH, it cannot be carried out with the consent of Bosniaks, and in my opinion, I fear that the Croatian side has found or will quickly find a partner on the Bosniak side in this fragmentation - Duraković said.

- A third entity is being created, and then in the Bosniak part of the Federation, a mass of Arabs is settling, buying hectares of land, and "Islamization" of that part of the Bosniak Federation is taking place, and it is enough for a few incidents to occur on that basis for Čović or Dodik to say they want to secede because they don't want to live in a "Muslimania." Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović's statement today encourages such things.

- The affair around Mostar before the elections shows that they were ready to go for the ethnic division of Mostar, then some media raised a fuss, and my humble self, so they stopped, waiting for other times. This is a clear proof. The creation of an electoral unit is underway. This is the path to a third entity and further division of BiH - Duraković said.

Duraković believes that parties are operating in BiH that would support the division of the country.

- These are parties that, under the given circumstances, have the capacity to deliver to Čović's HDZ what he expects. These are SDA, SBB...

When asked why Bosniak parties would support the division of the country, Duraković said:

- Because they are people who have no vision, they do not see the state beyond the sidewalk in front of the Presidency. They do not see beyond these or the next elections. Their material interest is enormous and insurmountable. The only thing that matters to them is to create their own fiefdoms where they can extract and exploit, profit, etc. Their interest is not the state. The opposition, that is, the left, is behaving completely immaturely - Duraković said.

Why is the opposition behaving immaturely?

- They have deeply disappointed me. The left has betrayed the idea of a left-wing political option. They do not know how to capitalize on the daily blunders of the government politically. Proof that the left does not care about state supranational interests is that they were unable to unite to eliminate the government, but acted independently. This is because every party's priority is to have a certain number of positions.

Duraković said that he is aware that his statements and "accusations about the division of the country" may cause numerous reactions, but he added that his status as an intellectual obliges him to get involved.

- Let there be a reaction to my statements. My status as an intellectual in BiH obliges me to be open. Every intellectual is obliged to get involved. I am convinced, and I am not exaggerating, that this is a fateful moment for BiH. It is more dangerous than it was during the war. In the war, we fought in many ways. Today, we have Bosniak political parties that are willing to meet demands that are harmful to BiH.

Why is it more dangerous than during the war and why does he believe the country's division is being prepared?

- There is serious talk about consolidating cantons to ease the financial situation, but those being consolidated are those with a Croatian ethnic majority. And they are selling us illusions there. SDA has been more prominent than SBB on this issue. Later, SBB reacted positively in this regard, acting as a corrective factor - Duraković added, reports NAP.