The Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nermin Nikšić, the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said that in recent days we have been witnessing outbursts of hatred and an astonishing concentration of lies, manipulation, and insults delivered within a short period in the public statements of Milorad Dodik, the leader of Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD).
Nikšić noted that since the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, many figures have shaped the country’s political scene.
“Among them are individuals who were convicted of war crimes in The Hague, such as Radovan Karadžić, who threatened to wipe out an entire people. In recent days, we have once again witnessed outbursts of hatred and an astonishing concentration of lies, manipulation, and insults in the public appearances of Milorad Dodik,” he said.
Dodik’s political performances and personal interpretations of reality, Nikšić added, should not be relevant to those who engage seriously in politics and bear real responsibility toward citizens.
“Instead of responsible politics, we are witnessing pathetic attempts at self-promotion, accompanied by arbitrary interpretations of so-called ‘successes’ from trips undertaken on a tourist visa, a fact that in itself speaks volumes about the real political reach of such visits,” he said.
The federal prime minister stressed that historical revisionism related to the Second World War is unacceptable and deeply dangerous, as are attempts to portray Bosniaks as a political or security problem.
“I do not believe that he himself believes what he is saying. He knows very well who committed crimes both during the Second World War and during the most recent aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina. For that reason, such rhetoric is not only inaccurate, it is deliberately inflammatory and directly fuels fear, mistrust, and the deepening of divisions,” Nikšić added.
He further said that claims about the alleged endangerment of any people in Bosnia and Herzegovina are particularly alarming and entirely false, especially manipulations involving the Jewish community.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina has, under the most difficult historical circumstances, proven that it knows how to protect people, dignity, and universal values. The Sarajevo Haggadah was preserved thanks to this country and its citizens, not because of today’s political manipulations and cheap propaganda.”
The SDP leader emphasized that Dodik is pursuing a policy of fear and conflict that brings stability neither to Republika Srpska nor to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, nor to the country as a whole.
“Such rhetoric and behavior resolve no real problems, offer no solutions, and do not move society forward. On the contrary, they further destabilize the country and return us to a rhetoric for which we all paid a heavy price. Bosnia and Herzegovina must not be held hostage to personal ambitions, political performances, or rhetoric that deliberately deepens divisions. The responsibility of institutions is to ensure respect for the law, equality of all before the law, and the stability of the state, without exceptions and without selectivity,” he concluded.
