Citizens of BiH origin in Austria should be granted national minority status

(Patria) - At a meeting of delegations from the Bosnian Academic Association in Austria and the Association of Independent Intellectuals – Krug 99, held in Sarajevo, a high degree of agreement was expressed regarding mutual cooperation and action in the area of aligned programmatic activities.

It is undisputed that both organizations, through thirty years of persistent work, have strived to affirm the best values of the state and society of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to integrate our citizens in the diaspora into a new, modern political, social, cultural, and working environment. By bringing together the academic and intellectual communities in both countries, they have opened a productive theoretical and political dialogue, and defined concrete initiatives based on the values and visions of the European community of values and contemporary democratic standards. The awareness of the advantages and the need for even greater mutual influence between the homeland diaspora and the stationary Bosnian society has finally matured. Civil society organizations can and should contribute even more through joint and coordinated initiatives and actions.

It is of particular importance to support the Bosnian Academic Association in Austria in its years-long efforts and concrete request for citizens of BiH origin in Austria to be granted the status and position of an Austrian national minority, regardless of their personal identity, ethnic/national, religious, and other origins. This will ensure their even stronger position and fuller equality in all segments within the Austrian nation of free and equal citizens to a greater extent. The positive experiences from the work and existence of previously recognized national minorities in Austria support this.

The common stance is that citizens of BiH origin should support this initiative and engage concretely, organize, and act in other countries, through similar organizations or newly established civil society initiatives, in their home countries with the same demands. This is especially true since the intentions and standards of the EU in this area support such demands for the status of national minorities within democratic nations. The broadest possible support should be given through: https://www.openpetition.eu/ba/petition/online/bosanka-i-bosanac-gradani-bosne-i-hercegovine?language=sl_SI.utf8

The vision of a modern Bosnian nation, comprising all citizens of BiH, within a community of sovereign states and free nations, without denying any civic, personal, and collective identity, was particularly recognized as epochal. This is a reliable path to the renewal of a stable society and a prosperous state. It was emphasized that further efforts must be made in understanding and interpreting the concept of the Bosnian nation among the population in accordance with modern Western theoretical and political principles and scientific knowledge.

Other civil society organizations at home and abroad are invited to join in cooperation, activity, and support.

The initiated cooperation between the Youth Forum of Krug 99 and the youth from the Bosnian Academic Association of Austria should be strengthened, and encouragement should be given to other organizations for greater networking and joint action between young people in the country and the homeland diaspora.

The delegation from the Bosnian Academic Association from Austria included Siradj Duhan and Alen Suljagić, and from Krug 99, Adil Kulenović, Senadin Lavić, and Bojan Šošić.