Nikšić: I call on HDZ to abandon the wartime goal of dividing BiH into three ethnic mini-states

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - SDP BiH President Nermin Nikšić sent an open letter to HDZ BiH in which he calls on them to, as he said, "abandon the wartime goal of dividing BiH into three ethnic mini-states."

- I am sending this response to the statement of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which challenges the defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina's right to free access to the open sea by using rigid nationalist patterns of thought, while promoting the worst forms of ethnic prejudice and intolerance.

This statement represents my personal, but also political act of opposing a phenomenon against which every individual, every party, and every society that considers itself a free, democratic and anti-fascist community must raise its voice.

Defending the positions of political Zagreb, while displaying the worst forms of quisling attitude and consciousness, in the full, literal and historical sense of the word, is unacceptable in modern European democratic societies. Interpreting the protection of Bosnia and Herzegovina's rights as a "Bosniak wartime goal" and the establishment of "green transversal" constitutes hate speech and a renewed beating of war drums.

HDZ Bosnia and Herzegovina and their retrograde policy are ideologically completely incompatible with the achievements of the 21st century that define global processes of integration and social pluralism. Their statement is the best argument for the claim that this party must be excluded from all decision-making processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In modern states, parties that publicly advocate the views promoted by HDZ BiH would have their political activities banned. The truth is that at the helm of European right-wing parties there are numerous radicals. However, nowhere else can you find examples of a party that celebrates and organises welcomes for war criminals finally convicted of killing women and children talking about the fear of war goals. Admittedly, none of those European radicals can even "boast" of the biographical detail that they used concentration camp prisoners as free labour, all for the purpose of achieving a wartime goal. Such people existed in Europe some 75 years ago.

The dehumanisation of their fellow Bosniaks for the purpose of securing political support, both from the neighbouring country and from internal voter support, actually irresistibly resembles the wartime principle of operation. I tell HDZ Bosnia and Herzegovina that for us in SDP Bosnia and Herzegovina, every one of our fellow citizens is equally valuable. For us, every one of our fellow citizens is a bearer of European, human values, each is a bearer of personal dignity and inalienable rights, be they Bosniak, Croat, Serb, Roma, Jew or anyone else.

I tell HDZ Bosnia and Herzegovina that Neum is Bosnian, just as it is Herzegovinian, as are Stolac, Jablanica and Konjic which you mention. All of them, like Sarajevo, belong equally to all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and are part of a unique, if you will, blue-yellow Bosnian-Herzegovinian transversal. The "Political Sarajevo" you speak of is your political centre, not Zagreb and Pantovčak, regardless of certain wartime goals. That Sarajevo is the capital city of all citizens of our country where we should all seek and realise our rights.

Likewise, all our citizens have rights arising from the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a maritime country. Any responsible policy is obliged to protect the rights of our citizens. The construction of the Pelješac Bridge and the associated violation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty will have consequences for us, our children and their children.

Finally, I call on HDZ Bosnia and Herzegovina to abandon the wartime goal of dividing Bosnia and Herzegovina into three ethnic mini-states, which is suggested by almost every one of their activities over the last thirty years. That goal will not be achieved. It did not succeed in war, nor will it in peace. Too many people have been sacrificed for the achievement of that insane goal in war.

Stop sacrificing our new generations, generations that show their stance by turning their backs on that policy, looking towards Germany and other democratic, civic states. Stop, because it will never work for you, because the people of this country will not allow it. Let us all turn together to solving the life problems of citizens, so that Bosnia and Herzegovina can be a country for all of us where young people will return and stay, and not flee from it headlong - the letter of the SDP BiH President states.