US to increase engagement in BiH after elections

The engagement of the United States of America in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be intensive after the October elections, said Bakir Izetbegović, Chairman of the Presidency of BiH, in an extensive interview for the portal Klix, on the occasion of taking over the leading position in the highest state institution, reports the BiH news agency Patria (NAP).

- The engagement of the USA will be intensified in the period ahead, probably after the October elections. This was communicated to me by certain US officials – said Izetbegović. He said he is not worried about the country's future in terms of its survival, integrity, sovereignty, etc.

- But I am worried about the culmination of burdens, objective and subjective weaknesses, which prevent a rapid economic recovery, intensive youth employment, and a reduction of tensions in society – he said. Therefore, as he said, SDA will try to gather a majority at all levels of government around the program of urgent measures that we adopted a few days ago, which include rigorous austerity measures and income reductions.

Izetbegović also commented on the demonstrations, saying that the protests started spontaneously, but were then misused.

- They were taken over by those who procured tons of stones of selected size, made Molotov cocktails, put on ski masks and set fires. And after the arson, they did not withdraw but demanded resignations, both where it made sense and where it didn't, the disappearance of government from the municipal level to the Presidency of BiH, but only in a part of the territory of the Federation of BiH – he told Klix, reports NAP. Speaking about proposals for the restructuring of the Federation and BiH, Izetbegović said that he likes Stjepan Mesić's proposal, but that everything that leads forward should be discussed.

When asked about party divisions in SDA, Izetbegović says they still exist, but are of lesser intensity.

- People simply feel that it is not the time for internal party struggles, that there are far more pressing struggles and priorities – said Izetbegović, adding that the Security Committee was dismissed because the “Committee was inactive at a time when it had to be most active.”