Kulanić: Schmidt is an immature career opportunist who does not recognise the rulings of international courts or historical facts

(Patria) - Director of the Sarajevo Memorial Centre Ahmed Kulanić strongly condemned the statement by High Representative Christian Schmidt, who in the Central News with Senad Hadžifejzović equated the first President of the Presidency of the internationally recognised Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and supreme commander of the honourable Army of the RBiH, the late Alija Izetbegović, with the convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić.

„The attempt to relativise the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and distort historical facts, as well as the comparison of war criminal Mladić with President Alija Izetbegović by High Representative Christian Schmidt, shows the utter immaturity of this career opportunist, who demonstrates that he does not recognise not only the rulings of international courts but also historical facts and evidence.

It is precisely because of these and similar 'cases' that the essence of why we founded and launched our Educational Centre is shown and proven – so that future generations learn history from authentic sources and never allow global politicians, who neither know nor recognise historical facts, to interpret their history for them. And finally, the essential and most important thing is that we do not forget nor allow to be forgotten who attacked and who defended, who is the criminal – and who the hero, who is the aggressor – and who the victim.

Our recent history is honourable, and young people must learn that they can walk freely through this world with their heads held high, because the ideology of President Alija Izetbegović, and thus of the Army that defended Bosnia and Herzegovina, has always been and remains based on freedom, equality, tolerance and multiculturalism, but also on self-awareness.

"We listened to the story of oblivion for forty years. We watched that film. And what was the result, what followed? Genocide followed! It did not help us that we had forgotten almost everything – our past, our faith, even our name; we were doomed to destruction. We will not repeat that mistake." – Alija Izetbegović.