Reactions to Stojanović's statements: Why does a mosque or church bother, no one threatens the people that 'darkness will consume them'

(Patria) - The television appearance last night by cantonal delegate of the SDP and candidate for the leadership of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Igor Stojanović, represents a bad start to his mandate in which he has a legal obligation to fight for the equality of all peoples and citizens of the FBiH, according to reactions from SDA Centar.

"It is worrying that this is not the first time Stojanović has repeated the thesis 'For SDA, the mosque is more important than the state' in his media appearances, thereby introducing a dangerous narrative into public discourse that practicing religion and visiting places of worship - mosques, churches, or synagogues - excludes the fight for the state and civic Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Furthermore, we consider Stojanović's accusations that someone from SDA is insulting him on a national or any other basis to be malicious and offensive. We call on him not to go down the path of harmful populism, to respect the weight of public discourse, and not to accuse SDA of non-existent attacks against him. We find the comparison of SDA with the nationalist SNSD and HDZ, his SDP's coalition partners, particularly offensive. After all, it is precisely Stojanović who is the joint candidate of SDP and HDZ, which gave him the missing votes for his election in the House of Peoples of the Serb people," they stated in the announcement.

They note that Stojanović, if elected to the leadership of the FBiH, must represent all citizens of the FBiH, including those who cherish their religious beliefs and express them by going to a synagogue, church, or mosque – whether he likes it or not.

"Any other form of his political action would not be based on the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and would violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and would be reminiscent of the dark times of the regime of the former state, which sent political dissidents to prisons and to Goli Otok, a regime whose legal and ideological heir is Stojanović's SDP," they concluded.

Given that Stojanović spoke in the same show about 'ending up on Goli Otok and that darkness would consume someone,' state delegate Zlatan Begić reacted to these statements.

"We are not afraid of any 'darkness' because they have kept us in 'darkness' for too long, or tried to. It is good that the 'darkness' has a face, name, and surname. Now it is even amusing to us. A recommendation to municipal politicians who are stretching themselves on their toes to become or at least appear as 'statesmen' - do not threaten the people that 'darkness will swallow them' (never!). Once, back in 2014, the people were forced to drive away the 'darkness' with flames, and you still haven't learned anything!?" wrote Begić.