Mass protests by BiH citizens in Brussels and cities worldwide on January 10

(Patria) - Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina abroad are following the current political crisis in the country with intense attention and concern, which threatens to create deep divisions again and result in potential conflicts. This has prompted them to hold mass protests in Brussels on January 10 to point out to international officials, as well as the world public, the importance of stopping all secessionist and anti-constitutional activities carried out by the authorities of the Republika Srpska entity in time and maintaining peace in the country. Ever since the first announcement of the protests on December 10, 2021, the organizers have called on BiH citizens to take to the streets in other cities in Europe and around the world with the same messages. In the meantime, protests have been announced in Geneva, London, Ottawa, Toronto, Oslo, Rome, Vienna, Stockholm, Gothenburg (and other cities in Sweden), as well as in Sarajevo and Tuzla.

The protests in Brussels will be held at Schuman Square – within the circle of European Union institution buildings, and are organized by a group of citizens gathered in the Organizational Committee of the protests, in cooperation with the association of BiH citizens in the Netherlands "Platform BiH". A letter will be read at the central protests in Brussels, which will be delivered to the most important European officials. The letter will also be sent to the US President and several other world leaders, including the Prime Ministers of Great Britain, France, and Germany.

"We want to emphasize that this gathering is a reflection of concern, as well as patriotism, and it does not aim to promote any political option, nor is it directed against any nation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The events we are witnessing in recent months seriously endanger peace, and therefore it is our duty to speak out and clearly say that we do not want divisions and war again," emphasizes Hamdija Draganović from Platform BiH.

After the gathering, a letter of support will be sent to the BiH Prosecutor's Office on behalf of the organizers and all participants, with a request to criminally prosecute all parties and individuals who violate the laws and the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"What the ruling coalition of the Republika Srpska entity is doing today has nothing to do with ethnic divisions, but is an attack on the state and an attempt to take over state competencies by force. The laws and the constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina must be respected, whatever they are. And no one has taken those competencies away, as claimed; they were transferred in accordance with the Dayton constitution and through legal means, and if anything is to be changed, the only address for that is the State Parliament," states Satko Mujagić, one of the organizers of the protests in Brussels.