It is especially important to remember Nurija Pozderac because he is a typical example of a Bosnian man who was forgotten and ignored in the period after the Second World War, it was said at the regular session of the Association of Independent Intellectuals “Circle 99” on the topic “State-legal and political independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and anti-fascism” on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the death of Nurija Pozderac, who died in the Battle of Sutjeska.
The keynote speakers were Professor Doctor Enes Durmisevic from the Faculty of Law in Sarajevo, Alija Pozderac, Slavist and publicist, cousin of Nurija Pozderac, and Professor Doctor Senadin Lavic from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo.
Durmisevic recalled that Nurija Pozderac was a supporter of the Yugoslav idea, and very active in Dobruja in creating volunteer detachments to fight against the Central Powers and to create the Socialist Federal Republic (SFR) of Yugoslavia.
He pointed out that Nurija Pozderac returned to Cazin after the First World War, was mayor, became involved in political life, and as a prominent member of the Yugoslav Muslim Organization (JMO) became the youngest member of the Constituent Assembly of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
Also, Durmisevic emphasized that Nurija Pozderac, through his work and life, is a true example of a man from Krajina who hasa vision.
Lavic pointed out that it is always very important to talk and exchange ideas about a noble man Nurija Pozderac and the ideals he followed.
“It is especially important to remember Nurija Pozderac because he is a typical example of a Bosnian man who was forgotten and ignored in the period after the Second World War when bureaucrats and dubious personnel emerged who turned the struggle for the equality of people in a common state into a single-minded system and eventually destroyed it,” Lavic said.
He pointed out that Nurija Pozderac’s accession to the National Liberation Movement determined the fate of a large part of the Bosnian people in the Second World War.
In an audio message, Alija Pozderac spoke about the work and life of his cousin Nurija Pozderac, noting that in November 1942 in Bihac, he was elected vice-president of the First Session of the Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ), the first government of the future Yugoslavia, thus becoming the first Bosniak with the highest political and executive function.
He recalled that by decree of the Presidency of AVNOJ in September 1944, he was posthumously awarded the “Order of National Liberation” for his services in the war.
Nurija Pozderac was born in Cazin on January 15th, 1892, and died near Tjentiste on June 12th, 1943, as a result of being wounded in battles with enemy German forces. He was a teacher and politician, a participant in the National Liberation War, and vice president of the Executive Committee of the AVNOJ.