Miro Lazović: How Nijaz Duraković 'cut ties' in the 90s and entered government with SDA for the sake of the state

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - If there were an institution for extraordinary elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I could easily accept the BH bloc going into opposition, said the Vice-President of the SDP BiH, Miro Lazović, for Federalna TV.

However, added Lazović, former President of the BiH Assembly, since there is no possibility of extraordinary elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, if the BH bloc were to go into opposition for the next four years, "it would allow all opponents of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from within and without, to try to divide the country."

"The BH bloc would then no longer have a reason to exist," said Lazović, speaking on the show "Odgovorite ljudima" (Answer the People), edited by Darjan Babić, Patria reports.

A group of intellectuals had previously stated that the BH bloc entering government with national parties after the October 7th elections would mean the collapse of the left in BiH, which consists of SDP, DF, and Naša stranka.

Lazović, on the other hand, believes that the BH bloc not entering government would be disastrous for the state, emphasizing that if the BH bloc decides to be the fourth pillar in government, it should first present certain principles to the national parties.

"The question of whether the BH bloc should enter government cannot be answered with 'yes' or 'no'. The overall political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in the region, must be considered, and a rational decision must be made. I think the BH bloc must be aware of the processes the country is going through in these difficult times, internally and externally, it must be aware of the dangers facing Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is a time when Bosnia and Herzegovina will either slide towards ethnic divisions, or the BH bloc will bravely come forward with clear ideas, statesmanlike policies, and impose its principles on other political parties," said Lazović, adding that for him, the BH bloc is something that gives hope and should be preserved.

"That hope can be lost if wrong moves are made," said Lazović.

The Vice-President of SDP BiH recalled the beginning of the nineties, when Bosnia and Herzegovina was facing armed aggression. The SDP found itself in a similar situation as today: "The SDP had meetings where it was discussed whether to accept Alija Izetbegović's invitation for the SDP to enter the government structures. Izetbegović had an idea that later proved crucial, which was that only a multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina could receive support from America and Europe in defending the fundamental principles through which Bosnia and Herzegovina passed. And even then, there were people in the SDP who thought we should not go into government with the SDA. President Nijaz Duraković made the decision. He said that the state was at stake and that we had to enter the government structures for the sake of the state."

"This is not the time of the nineties. There is no war. But, political howitzers are aimed at Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Lazović, warning about the ethnic homogenization of Serbs in Republika Srpska, as well as Croats in West Herzegovina.

"These processes are not at all naive."

Lazović advocates for the establishment of several key principles before the BH bloc enters government with national parties, which would be presented to the public.

"Why is the image being created that the BH bloc is entering a coalition with the SDA? No, let others approach the BH bloc. We are the ones whose ideas are stronger than national ideas. We are the ones who need to pull this country forward. Citizens should recognize the strength in the BH bloc," said Lazović.

SDP Vice-President Miro Lazović believes that Bosnia and Herzegovina is entering a period of political struggle for civic principles personified by Željko Komšić, "while HNS, in tandem with Milorad Dodik, attacks these principles, and they have support for further ethnic divisions in Bosnia and Herzegovina from Zagreb and Belgrade."

"That is why the BH bloc cannot simply withdraw from the political scene," said Lazović.