Election campaign started too early: Hate speech, fear, and threats dominate public discourse

BiH, (Patria) - It is evident that the election campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina has never really stopped since 2014, and today, eight months before the General Elections, its intensity is only increasing. Citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina gain no benefit from this. This was also noted by BiH Prime Minister Denis Zvizdić, although his party, SDA, also issues populist press releases daily. The rule in effect is: "who will insult whom stronger and better". Citizens of BiH only get a bad impression from all of this.

- BiH's European future is guaranteed. BiH is positioned in the Strategy in such a way that we have been sent a message that, in line with our engagement and if reforms, social and economic issues are prioritized, and we move away from the unproductive election campaign, we can expect rapid progress and that we will soon open and close chapters - Zvizdić emphasized.

Many experts believe that this year's election campaign will be the dirtiest yet. Almir Terzić, a political analyst and journalist, shares this opinion.

- Parties will stop at nothing to remain in power or come to power. All available means will be used to blame others for failures, regardless of whether they were in a coalition with them or on opposing sides.

Those who are louder in this will present themselves as the sole and true protectors of the people and citizens they address. The most tragic part is that such individuals, immediately after the polls close, will be the first to negotiate the formation of government with those they accused of everything and anything - Terzić says in a commentary for the Patria news agency.

He points out that before the elections, everyone is an enemy to everyone, and after the elections, everyone is a friend to everyone.

- Both before and after, the only losers will be the voters - citizens who do not see through this and at least do not contribute to being a part of it with their vote. That is one dimension. The second is that during the election campaign, unrealistic things will continue to be promised. The greatest manipulation will be carried out by those who will promise the European and NATO path, because that is a category that can be stretched indefinitely. One should not expect political parties to promise realistic things on their own. Voters and citizens should ask candidates whether what they are promising is realistic.

Everything, therefore, depends on the voters, who must be regulators and then, accordingly, give their trust to those who promise what is realistic. However, I fear that hate speech, fear, and threats will dominate public discourse and become increasingly pronounced as we approach October - Terzić believes.