The Choice Between Europe and Nationalist Mud

The fact that HDZ media scare HDZ voters with the Bosniak SDP, and SDA media scare Bosniaks with the alleged Serbification of the SDP, actually best illustrates the panic that has gripped nationalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is at a crossroads; either from next year it will follow the Macedonian scenario and the path of Zoran Zaev's success, thus becoming a progressive European country from a country of coincidence, or it will remain to wallow in nationalist mud, from which only the narrow elite of the three nationalist parties profit.

It seems that no one has caused more trouble and misery to the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina than "their own."

For the 120 new members of the SDP from Banja Luka and the new members from western Herzegovina, it can be said that they are the light at the end of the tunnel. The spirit of Bosnia and Herzegovina is spreading throughout its territory.

The destructiveness of nationalists in power in BiH is evidenced by both theory and practice. From a rich economic country, one that had its own top intellectual elite, Bosnia and Herzegovina has fallen to the bottom of all world statistics. The leading international agency for assessing state credit ratings, "Standard & Poor's," has confirmed Bosnia and Herzegovina's credit rating with a B rating and a stable outlook. This rating falls into the so-called junk category, and on a scale of 19 ratings, this rating is in 14th place. Some of the countries with the same credit rating as BiH are: Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Burkina Faso. For comparison, Senegal, Kenya, and Papua New Guinea, which have a B+ rating, have a better credit rating than BiH. Bosnia and Herzegovina has not been brought to this state by the "Red Khmers," as they disparagingly call the SDP, but by our nationalists who have ruled the country, to a greater or lesser extent, for more than 20 years.

The respected Sarajevo Franciscan, philosopher, and theologian fra Mile Babić clearly and loudly states that national parties that sow discord among people are to blame for the bad situation in BiH. They need to be changed urgently. The more nationalist bickering there is, the more insecurity there is. And without political security, money will not come to BiH. And then the youth will emigrate. Smart people talk about the destructiveness of the policy of nationalist parties in BiH. The policy of nationalist parties is based on fear and tightening the belt. Everything is collapsing in the country, only the nationally chosen are getting rich.

Nationalist parties invoke God. These same parties do not mention justice and equality. The Quran speaks in many places about the importance of justice on earth. The same or similar is in the Bible. It seems that BiH nationalists also missed the religious education class when justice was taught. Their only deities are money and power.

SNSD is a nationalist party of Serbs on batteries. They entered politics as social democrats, they will leave as the greatest radicals, leaving behind debts and devastation and huge sums of money in their own accounts. In ten years of power, they have transformed both the party and this BiH entity in their own image and likeness. Dragan Čović recently said in an interview with Aleksandar Stanković on HRT, when asked why he supported convicted war criminals Prlić and others, "Well, I am the president of the HDZ." From Čović's words, one could read that he is also aware that he advocates for the wrong policy. Bakir Izetbegović and SDA have reduced the rights of Bosniaks, the most numerous people in BiH, to the rights of a national minority.

The policy pursued by national parties in BiH is destructive for all peoples. It would have taken a genuine effort to bring a centuries-old country to the position of an African tribe. In BiH, the law of the stronger currently prevails. The poor and the helpless are being judged.

Social democracy fundamentally contains equality and justice. Every democratic society should be based on this. Here, harmony between atheism and religion is possible. Better to say that conflict becomes unnecessary in the freedom of choice of the human mind. These are the European values that everyone who wishes well for themselves strives for. Rich Germany and even richer Switzerland are based on these values. In a society of social justice and equality, there is also room for national identity and freedom of religion. Where the nation is above justice, there is only room for injustice and crime. Which is "déjà vu".