Izetbegović: I fear the Troika will cause damage that will take a long time to repair

(Patria) - SDA President Bakir Izetbegović, in an interview for Preporod, spoke about the challenges facing BiH. He presented a series of criticisms of the Troika's subservient policy, but also called for the creation of a patriotic bloc that would resist anti-BiH policies.

Speaking about the challenges we face in preserving sovereignty and unity, Izetbegović said that these challenges are always the same, coming from the same centers, from the same nationalisms, only changing methods and intensity, adapting.

"Political, then military, then again political means were used. The main problem is Serbian nationalism, the attempt to achieve Serbian domination and apartheid, the 'Serbian world' that would encompass Montenegro and part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Croatian nationalism, which for a short period had the same goals and characteristics, did the same evil and destruction as Serbian nationalism, lost its edge, and shifted from territorial pretensions to a fight for a disproportionately large share in the division of power, the number of positions, and the control of decision-making processes. HDZ cadres occupy more positions at the state level than all cadres of the pro-Bosnian component and control all processes in the FBiH. This is a problem, but it does not undermine the foundations of the state like the current assault through the implementation of the 'Declaration of the All-Serbian Assembly' and the separatist policy pursued by Milorad Dodik for years. It is clear that this policy will not give up. Its goal is to annex 49 percent of BiH's territory to Serbia institutionally, identitarily, and culturally.

Numerous activities are being carried out for this purpose at the political, social, cultural, sports, and media levels. With this goal in mind, unconstitutional laws are being passed, attempts are being made to introduce the coat of arms, flag, and anthem of Serbia into use, curricula are being harmonized, the presence of Serbian police in the RS entity is being ensured, young people are announcing military service in Serbia, and in the general narrative, this entity is being presented as exclusively Serbian. This policy must be countered. Unfortunately, the representatives of the pro-Bosnian bloc currently in power are incompetent and submissive, unable to and unwilling to oppose such policies. Their leaders, in order to keep their positions, are subservient to anti-state policies and are almost exclusively dedicated to attacking the larger part of the pro-Bosnian bloc that is currently in opposition, as if they intentionally want to deepen divisions. We witness this daily. Therefore, aggressive pan-Serbian policy and the incompetent, subservient Troika are currently the biggest challenges for the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Izetbegović.

He added that they fought for the state and for freedom, and then after the war, a struggle for dominance within the pro-Bosnian bloc ensued.

"Part of the international community fueled this struggle under the guise of creating a democratic alternative, freedom of thought, critical journalism, etc. This foreign effort exclusively concerned the territory defended by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina; there were no efforts where destructive nationalisms continued to live and be promoted. For years, there was an attack on the political, religious, and military authorities of Bosniaks. One should re-read the headlines of the most influential print media and the announcements of the most watched programs on electronic media that created the political climate immediately after the war to understand what self-destructive project we were drawn into.

The position of Bosniaks and Bosniak politics was further undermined by sick, Islam-alien extremism, which committed a series of terrorist acts in the name of religion throughout the Islamic world, as well as in the US and Europe. And it created strong suspicion in the West towards everything that is Muslim.

I believe we hit rock bottom after the 2022 elections when open violence was committed against the Constitution and the Election Law, against the electoral will of two-thirds of Bosniak voters, who form the core of the pro-Bosnian bloc. In the three post-Dayton decades, all political and coalition combinations have been tried, including this one where the leaders of SDP, NIP, and Naša stranka found themselves in the embrace of Dodik and Čović. In that embrace, they themselves, the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all of us together with them are suffocating," states the SDA president.

They see the solution to the current situation in an organized and unified response.

"I fear that the Troika will cause damage that will take a long time to repair.

Since 2018, when it was the convincing winner of the elections, the SDA has been calling on all healthy pro-Bosnian forces to act together, united, because that is the only way to stand up to the current pan-Serbian project, as well as other anti-BiH policies. Of course, this is not just a Bosniak policy; it would be more accurate to call it a pro-Bosnian or patriotic policy, which also includes non-Bosniaks who love this country.

This bloc represents almost two-thirds of the political power in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it must not be allowed to be reduced to one-third, as is currently the case.

It is time for more mature and wiser policies, for an end to short-sighted and selfish solo performances, for an attempt to consolidate the divided and quarreling pro-Bosnian bloc. It is time to listen to the will of the people, who are wiser than selfish politicians and conceited foreigners who have designed this state of agony for us.

Nothing will be resolved with a magic wand, but a unified pro-Bosnian bloc with the highest quality cadres will certainly not make the mistakes that the crippled and incompetent representation we currently have is making daily," he said, among other things, for Preporod.