The pre-election campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) officially starts on Friday. However, the political parties are already holding large gatherings around BiH and the diaspora, visiting events, promoting themselves, adjusting their rhetoric to pre-election goals, including the traditional tightening of language.
Mobilization of the people
SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic decided to use the “mobilization” tactic. Unofficially, this party started its campaign back in March, when it tried to gather votes in the diaspora, which continued in the following months with rallies across BiH with the clear intention of demonstrating its numbers, which should send a different image after the attrition they experienced.
The main narrative with which the SDA goes to the elections is that of the alleged mass endangerment of Bosniaks. The target this time is not only the eastern and western neighbors and the Serbian and Croatian factors in the country but also the western powers who allegedly want to impose the Election Law in accordance with Covic’s wishes. In this regard, the SDA presents itself as the only force that is ready to protect Bosniak interests, openly pointing the finger at its rivals as someone who has betrayed them.
On the other hand, Izetbegovic’s rival for the presidency, Denis Becirovic, who is a joint candidate of the opposition, also started his activities. Although the campaign has not officially started yet, Becirovic would have to show much more energy and clear ideas to resolve all the dilemmas about the winner by the time of the election, because for now everything still seems very bloodless. The situation is similar with the other parties of the “Trojka”, which, while the SDA holds rallies around BiH and unveils its cards, continues to act rather uncoordinated and indecisive.
SBB has somewhat more specific activities, with clear messages regarding the need for society to wean itself off false war rhetoric and turn to investments and economic development. HDZ BiH, after the three-time election of Komsic in the Croatian electorate, has almost no competition, so it should not be surprising that it coordinates its activities together with HNS and is more concerned with the Electoral Law than with the concrete promotion of its own party.
They don’t sleep
From Friday, the formal legal restraints that the parties have for campaigning will end. And then we can expect cities “decorated” with smiling faces and thousands of messages about a good life, a safe future, and the protection of our people from enemies who never sleep.
Performance at bullfights (koride)
In the Republika Srpska (RS), on the other hand, the activities take place traditionally. Milorad Dodik already goes around the bullfights and sings under tents. The opposition decided to fight against Dodik on his turf this time, so his opposition rivals Nebojsa Vukanovic and Drasko Stanivukovic also decided to visit the bullfights. The latter does not know how to sing, so he decided to take on the role of a presenter at the bullfight a few days ago on Manjaca, Avaz writes.
E.Dz.
