Goran Kovačević: I ran because I carry hundreds of dreams for a better life for my fellow citizens

Goran Kovačević was born in 1982 in Sarajevo. He graduated from the Faculty of Criminal Justice in 2006. He obtained his Master's degree from the Faculty of Law at the University of Sarajevo in 2009. He obtained his Doctorate from the Department of Security Studies at the University of Sarajevo in 2013. He has been employed at the Faculty of Criminal Justice, Criminology and Security Studies in Sarajevo since 2007. He is one of the most influential Bosnian experts in the field of security and international relations in Southeast Europe, the author of several scientific papers in this field, and a respected political analyst. He is married and has one child.

At the Local Elections in BiH on October 2nd, he is the DF's candidate for the mayor of the Sarajevo municipality of Novi Grad.

PATRIA: Most would ask you to introduce yourself, to see your national "diploma". You are so nationally "versatile" that all that remains for you is to be a Bosnian of exceptional intellectual strength, great knowledge, and ultimately, an honest journey through life!

KOVAČEVIĆ: I believe that my "national versatility" is one of the intrinsic strengths that have preserved Bosnia and Herzegovina and its peoples, Bosnians and Herzegovinians. Given that my parents are of different faiths (Orthodox and Catholic), and my wife is Muslim – this is, in a way, my national diploma, I am proud of it and ready to defend it with my life. I was raised to respect every difference, to accept every being with respect. I don't know how to think other than to think for the good.

PATRIA: Most people consider you an exceptional, unprecedented phenomenon on the political scene. Recently, a pilgrim, a "mosque man", admitted that he completely agrees with your views. People you thought were far from your spiritual essence support you. How did you manage that?

KOVAČEVIĆ: I have felt that kind of connection of ours countless times, which, after all, has sustained this Bosnia and Herzegovina. People yearn for mutual understanding and respect. I don't care about short-sighted and short-term, essentially criminal, policies, but rather I strive through my activities to contribute to the long-term survival of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its society. As a person, I have never wanted to be outside of what is the core of Bosnian spirituality and tradition, in the true sense of the word, but I am not retrograde and I look for what connects people and what they can have in common. I refuse to be led through life by hatred, intolerance, and envy, because these are not the emotions and values of our people. By people, I mean Bosniaks, Serbs, Croats, and all those who are proud guardians of the idea of Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e., all patriots of this country. My understanding of spirituality implies the acceptance of all positive religious views and practices, which is probably why our pilgrim felt and recognized me through that matrix.

PATRIA: It is evident that you dominate public appearances among all other candidates. Your campaign has not humiliated anyone, you do not engage in any polemics. You present your views and opinions honestly, clearly, and simply. We have not seen such an electoral stance before.

KOVAČEVIĆ: Most candidates, except for a small number of independent candidates, are burdened by the mortgages of the political parties that nominated them. I cannot be anyone's party subordinate. Fortunately, no one from DF has asked me for anything that contradicts my beliefs. Some things coincided, and we accepted each other. Most candidates are "groomed" party cadres, profiled for party interests, not for broader social interests, for what makes us people of heart and mind. My fortune is that I do not belong to uniformed structures and that I can certainly be the mayor for all citizens of our municipality. My views are true, simple, and applicable in the interest of the citizens. Specifically, I have no need to polemicize with a single truth, nor to make political deviations from anyone, or, God forbid, to engage in cheap politicking with vulnerable population categories. My rule is to call everything by its real name, not by politically correct terms. Thus, I will never call obvious crime a political platform. Calling a criminal by that name during the campaign is not negative, because I do it regardless of the campaign period.

PATRIA: It was evident that despite all the dominance, you managed to show respect to the candidates you faced. What did those opponents tell you after the forums and shows, after the mostly unequal discussions?

KOVAČEVIĆ: The candidates I had the opportunity to meet are decent people, and I did not delve into analyzing their statements. The citizens will conclude that, and I am sure they are the best judges.

PATRIA: What groups does your campaign rely on? It is said that you will receive massive votes from young people eager for change. Intellectuals and a good portion of the unemployed are also with you. Whose votes are you counting on?

KOVAČEVIĆ: I am counting on all citizens of Novi Grad Sarajevo, because tomorrow, as mayor, I will have the same obligation to everyone, and in return, I expect the same from them. I consider those who have specific target groups to be political manipulators, i.e., those who want to seize power through cheap political machinations, false promises, and small amounts of money and gifts. The methods of political campaigning say more about some people than they can imagine.

PATRIA: What do you want to make of Novi Grad if you become mayor? You claimed that you would make it the most promising municipality and a place recognizable on a global scale.

KOVAČEVIĆ: I do not lack ideas and solutions for the problems of the citizens of our community. I have already presented dozens of them in my meetings with citizens. People have accepted them all with almost joy, and many of them have admitted to me that they have considered my solutions for a better and happier life for all of us in Novi Grad. We need one term without party intrigues, without nepotism, bribery, and corruption. Who knows how much all of that costs us in all areas. We need one term in which it would be seen that with honest and conscientious work, life is much better, more peaceful, and simpler, and indeed, one sleeps better. Being honest is not just a social quality; honesty also means health. Let's heal the relationships in all segments of society, and everything will move forward unstoppably and manifest in a better life for all of us.

PATRIA: Who will be your most serious opponent for the mayoral position? Is it the current mayor from the SDA and SBB coalition?

KOVAČEVIĆ: When it comes to vision, competence, and readiness for sacrifice and work, I see no one as an opponent, especially not the current mayor, a low-ranking SDA official.

PATRIA: As you are one of the highly respected security experts, how will you solve this issue in your municipality?

KOVAČEVIĆ: I don't want to talk about competencies, about complicated relationships in the security system, but there are ways to achieve valuable and useful goals in the individual and collective sense of security for all citizens. If I want to show respect to my fellow citizens, I will do everything to ensure it is in their sense of security. Security is one of the most serious qualities of our lives.

PATRIA: Unlike previous mayoral stereotypes, you show a nice blend of education, eloquence, and wit. You even present yourself differently from others, so people have remembered your credo: "Above all, I want to be a moral politician, not a political moralist like those currently on the political scene."

KOVAČEVIĆ: That should be a quality sought from anyone who wants to reach such an important position as being the mayor of the citizens of the municipality of Novi Grad. Sometimes I think it's too much responsibility, sometimes I tremble with fear that overcomes me when I remember that for four years I will look into the eyes of my fellow citizens who will closely monitor what I have done with their trust. But I have taken on this terrible burden of responsibility. And I know there is no turning back, only forward. I am a young man, with hundreds of dreams about a better life for all of us. I no longer even think about how these elections will end. But if I hadn't accepted this challenge, I would feel like I had betrayed my fellow citizens and neighbors, our Novi Grad, that community which is our center of the world.