Željko Ivanković, Ruždija Adžović and Rezak Hukanović leave the Association of Writers of BiH, Ivanković refuses 'Bosanski stećak' award

(Patria) - Bosnian writers Željko Ivanković, Ruždija Adžović, Rezak Hukanović and Ratko Orozović have resigned from their positions as members of the Presidency of the Association of Writers of BiH, according to a joint statement by the aforementioned four members of the Presidency of the Association of Writers of BiH.

It is added that Ivanković, Adžović and Hukanović have left this professional literary association, while Orozović has remained a member of the Association of Writers of BiH.

Željko Ivanković has also refused to accept the traditional award of the Association of Writers, 'Bosanski stećak', which was to be presented to him at the beginning of October at the international poetry event, the 63rd Sarajevo Poetry Days.

In explaining his decisions, Željko Ivanković states, among other things: “Due to the non-statutory, unprincipled, ignorant and arbitrary behavior of the president (resigned) of the Presidency of the Association of Writers of BiH, Jagoda Iličić, towards the members of the Presidency, where no effort was spared even in the most heinous insults towards her colleagues from the Presidency, and a part of the Program Council of Sarajevo Poetry Days, which the majority of the Presidency of the Association of Writers has continuously pointed out (most recently at the session of five members of that Presidency on September 11, when all irreconcilable differences were further confirmed), as the recipient of the 'Bosanski stećak' award at the 63rd Sarajevo Poetry Days, I inform the entire cultural public that I refuse the award granted to me, that I am leaving the Presidency of the Association of Writers of BiH and membership in the Association of Writers of BiH, of which I am one of the founders, and thus I cease to be the editor-in-chief and responsible editor of our magazine 'Život', which I have edited for the last three years.

I hereby express my deep respect to all my predecessors, co-recipients of this award, and special gratitude to those who, through their work in the Presidency and the Program Council, have demonstrated competence, professional responsibility, and high moral principles,” Ivanković stated.

For the same reasons and with a similar explanation, pointing to the deep crisis in the Association of Writers of BiH, Ruždija Adžović, Rezak Hukanović and Ratko Orozović also resigned from the Presidency of the Association of Writers of BiH. Adžović and Hukanović have also left the Association of Writers of BiH, while Orozović has retained his membership.

Adžović, Hukanović and Orozović stated, among other things, that they decided to take this step due to the arbitrariness of the president of the Association of Writers of BiH, her inappropriate attitude and behavior towards the majority of the members of the Presidency, which led to the departure of Željko Ivanković, one of the most respected and eminent writers of BiH and one of the founders and oldest members of the Association of Writers of BiH, from the Association of Writers of BiH. it is stated in the announcement.