Alden Pervan, who was born in Sarajevo and is now residing in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, holds a Master’s degree in International and European Law and is a member of the “Snaga Domovine” (Homeland Strength) Movement which connects the Bosnian and Herzegovinian (BiH) diaspora worldwide.
Pervan spoke about the importance of connecting the diaspora and its impact on BiH in an interview.
Strengthening Bonds
At the beginning of the interview, Pervan said that the Netherlands provided him with the opportunity to get an education, but he proudly carries his BiH identity.
“However, as a citizen of the Netherlands, I proudly carry my BiH origin and BiH identity. I have always been active through various initiatives and BiH organizations for the benefit of our homeland. That’s why it was logical for me to join the “Snaga Domovine” Movement, in which I recognized an initiative to, on one hand, bring people from BiH closer together worldwide, and on the other hand, to establish a stronger connection between this part of BiH society and the homeland,” says Pervan.
Rule of Law
When asked what he considers the biggest problem in BiH, he explained that corruption is the biggest problem in BiH society.
“Corruption is on every corner, organized crime is increasingly taking root in various institutions, and therefore, there is a lack of rule of law. It is precisely the lack of the latter that causes corrupt individuals and groups to harm the country and hinder its ambitions. Of course, these individuals and groups do not have ambitions in terms of European integration, because the first natural consequence of that would be their departure and sanctions,” explains Pervan.
Right to Vote
When asked why young people choose to leave their homeland, he responds that the lack of rule of law combined with globalization leads young people to build their future elsewhere.
“To some extent, that is absolutely true. At least these young people end up in societies that are institutionally better organized, which gives citizens more peace and security. However, these societies are far from ideal and often come with significant challenges. Large organized societies require a great sacrifice financially, but also in terms of personal norms and values. In my circle, I see more and more people from BiH who have come to Western countries in the last five years and concluded that it is not always better to live in those countries. It is good that people have space to gain this experience and then draw their own conclusions,” says Pervan.
Regarding the upcoming activities of the “Snaga Domovine” Movement, elections are one of the topics that will be continuously addressed.
“What is important now is that the Movement wants to be a link between BiH organizations worldwide and BiH authorities. The Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees of the Federation of BiH (FBiH) has allocated financial resources that will enable the Movement to provide certain financial support for these organizations in the short term if it is shown that the projects they organize are in the interest of the BiH community in the country where they are located. This will be symbolic financial support, but what is very important is that in this way we show that the state thinks of its citizens worldwide and supports them in maintaining our common culture, tradition, and language,” emphasizes Pervan, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.