SDA President had no favourite: Zukić claims the late Tihić said Bakir is the best choice

It is becoming more than clear that as the day of the General Elections approaches, so does the day of decision on whether Bakir Izetbegović (whether he wins or loses the race for the BiH Presidency) will be the new president of the SDA, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria.

The factional division is increasingly coming to the fore. The so-called current from the Republika Srpska, led by Adil Osmanović, is strengthening its infrastructure on the ground and is preparing to the maximum either for the regular Congress in May next year or a Convention at which the party's top man will be elected.

Osmanović has publicly presented himself on several occasions as the most serious candidate to succeed the late Sulejman Tihić. Just a few days ago, as a guest on TV1, he said, among other things, that a member of the BiH Presidency cannot also be the party president.

Because a statesman, he said, should conduct state policy, and a party president should conduct party policy, thereby directly telling Izetbegović that if he is re-elected as a member of the BiH Presidency, he should forget about the position of SDA president.

However, there is also another current that supports Izetbegović. Besides his closest associates Aljoša Čampara and Denis Zvizdić, in recent months the SDA Secretary General Amir Zukić, a man who would not even be on the political scene had it not been for the late Tihić, has also crept under his wing.

The SDA president initially appointed him as the SDA Secretary General, and then proposed him again for the same position at the party convention.

That Zukić has done a complete about-face is evidenced by his interview today for Fokus TV, in which he said, among other things, that the last wish of Sulejman Tihić as SDA president was to leave the top of the party when it is victorious, but also that Bakir Izetbegović is the best choice for his successor.

- In the conversations we had in April and May, he said that he thinks Bakir Izetbegović is the best choice and that his greatest wish is to leave the position of party president when the SDA is victorious - Zukić said.

Unfortunately, the SDA president is no longer here, and now anyone can say whatever they want and claim that Tihić told them this or that before his death. Especially Zukić, because it is highly questionable whether there is anyone, not only in the public but also within the SDA, who believes him.

Patria recalls the last interview the late Tihić gave to FACE TV on December 14, 2013. At that time, answering questions from Senad Hadžifejzović about who will be the new SDA president, and how the late Alija Izetbegović chose him as his successor, he clearly stated that he has no favourite.

Although this recording exists, Zukić does not hesitate now, after Tihić's death, to make statements like this, that Tihić told him in conversations they allegedly had in April and May that Bakir is the best choice.

Watch the last interview of the SDA president here

Watch the interview with Amir Zukić here