Ibrahimović welcomed Izetbegović in Podgorica: Bosniak Party and SDA discussed cooperation between Bosniaks from Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Patria) - Delegations of the Bosniak Party and the Party of Democratic Action of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SDA), led by presidents Ervin Ibrahimović and Bakir Izetbegović, today in Podgorica discussed intensifying cooperation between the two parties and strengthening ties among Bosniaks.

BS and SDA, which predominantly articulate the political will of Bosniaks in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, firmly believe that political, economic, educational, and cultural cooperation must primarily be developed through the institutions of the two states, as well as through the activities of the Bosniak National Council, the Council of the Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals, and Bosniak cultural institutions.

It was assessed that cooperation among Bosniaks in all countries of the region needs to be intensified, with clear respect for state borders and taking into account the specificities related to the size, overall position, and level of achieved rights of the Bosniak people in each country.

The interlocutors reached full agreement that for all Bosniaks in the region, the European path of the states in which they live is one of the key foreign policy priorities, with the conviction that the adoption of high European standards in all areas is important for all citizens, especially for smaller peoples, emphasizing that Bosniaks are a smaller people in all countries of the region except Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, the interest of Bosniaks lies in strengthening the rule of law in the states where Bosniaks live, as well as in regional stability and cooperation among states.

During the talks, it was emphasized that the political will of Bosniaks must be reflected in government institutions, and that representatives of the Bosniak people, to whom citizens have dominantly given a mandate in elections to represent them politically, should not be bypassed, which is currently the case in both states. A commitment was expressed to intensify communication between the two parties on all important national and regional issues.

BS and SDA condemned the systematic denial of the Srebrenica genocide and the glorification of its perpetrators. The necessity of adopting the Resolution on the Srebrenica Genocide by the UN General Assembly was highlighted as an important step towards confronting the past based on facts established in judicial proceedings before the International Court of Justice in The Hague and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, once again underscoring the fact that responsibility for genocide cannot be attributed to an entire people.

It was emphasized that Montenegro is expected to support the adoption of the Resolution on the Srebrenica Genocide at the United Nations as the only correct stance and a logical follow-up after the Parliament of Montenegro adopted the Resolution on the Srebrenica Genocide by a two-thirds majority in 2021.

The meeting also discussed economic and cultural cooperation between local communities in Montenegro where Bosniaks constitute a majority and cities and municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As a result of today's talks, the SDA committed to launching an initiative to open a consulate of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Rožaje, which would be the third consulate in the region after Novi Pazar and Rijeka.

The joint conclusion is that it is necessary to strengthen political, cultural, and all other forms of cooperation between the two political parties, and that BS and SDA, as significant political factors in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, should serve as a bridge for strengthening the traditionally good cooperation between the two states.

Along with President Izetbegović, the SDA delegation included the President of the Main Board Safet Softić, Vice President Haris Zahiragić, and Secretary General Halid Genjac.