Dispute over speeches: Why didn't Izetbegović and Halilović come to Igman?

The central event „Defence of BiH - Igman 2014“ ended today on the Olympic mountain without speeches from the highest state officials, reports a reporter for the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP). Željko Komšić, a member of the BiH Presidency who was also a co-sponsor of the event, paid tribute to this great battle by his presence.

However, the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Bakir Izetbegović, although the organisers expected him to speak as well, did not appear on Igman at all until the end of the gathering. The thousands present at the gathering, which preserves the memory of one of the most important battles in the defence of the state, only heard the address of the acting Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton, Muhamed Kozadra.

As the Bosnian news agency Patria learns, a real drama unfolded within the Organising Committee ahead of this traditional event on Igman, which may be the reason for Izetbegović's absence from Igman.

Namely, the main financier of the event is the Cantonal Ministry for Veterans' Affairs in Sarajevo, and Minister Faid Hećo is from the Bosnian-Patriotic Party of Sefer Halilović. Last year, General Halilović spoke on Igman, and Hećo expected the same this year. However, as we learn, other members of the Organising Committee, some of them close to Izetbegović, opposed this because they did not like what Halilović had said.

They demanded that only Izetbegović, as Chairman of the BiH Presidency, address those present, but not Halilović. However, Minister Hećo rebelled and threatened to stop funding the gathering and block the money. As reliable sources confirmed to us, harsh words were exchanged and mutual accusations were made about the misuse of the gathering for political purposes.

Although Fikret Prevljak, a member of the Organising Committee, told NAP yesterday that he had no such information and that he expected addresses from both Izetbegović and Halilović, today's absence of both only confirmed the existence of conflict and disagreements.

As Patria's sources say, it is shameful that the highest state and wartime military officials are unable to deliver a speech at an event commemorating the defence without it turning into pre-election bickering and abuse.

- I don't know what is worse, this that they didn't address the gathering at all and ignored it, or that they wanted to give political speeches at it – said one of the demobilised soldiers present at the gathering on Igman, NAP reports.