Comment of the Grand Mufti on the public debate regarding upcoming processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Preporod.info requested a comment from the Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein Kavazović, on the current public debate surrounding the possibility of enacting laws that could greatly determine the future of our country. In his statement, the Grand Mufti said:

We are encouraged by every indication of possible progress for Bosnia and Herzegovina on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration, as the benefits of this can be enjoyed by the entire country and all citizens.

At the same time, no one, whoever they may be, can, on our behalf, agree to a deal that would jeopardize the future of this country and the essence of our statehood. No one, whoever they may be, can annul our voice, our will, or question our collective determination to protect and defend the state and its institutions in the most efficient manner possible. No one, whoever they may be, can jeopardize our security. No one, whoever they may be, can overlook what Bosnia and Herzegovina is, an internationally recognized state, a member of the United Nations, sovereign over its entities. No agreement should undermine these axioms. Bosniaks must have guarantees that genocide will not be repeated and that they feel free and protected in every part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

There are three pillars entrusted to those in power to take care of: state property, our political will, i.e., the equal active and passive voting rights of all citizens, and equal rights for all peoples and citizens protected by the Constitutional Court through supremacy, i.e., the precedence of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms over the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The provision of Article II, paragraph 2 of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina is clear and stipulates that the rights and freedoms envisaged in the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its protocols are directly applicable in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These acts take precedence over all other laws, and the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights are clear, and the implementation of their words and spirit without rotten compromises is necessary for the revitalization of the essence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the strengthening of its functional statehood.

Let no one dare, whoever they may be, to betray these principles and trust. These are red lines for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina committed to its sovereignty, territorial integrity. There is no room for political games that would disregard the will of the majority of the country's citizens. There is no political trading or maneuvers that can justify this. This concerns all of us! Every citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially those who have experienced genocide and ethnic cleansing. Let no one rush into darkness from which there is no return, and let no one play with the future of their people and country.

In the end, we should be grateful to our friends from the international community for their support, but in every decision of the government and opposition, media, and academic community, and in every statement of any of us, there must be a clear expression of the determination of our concern for ourselves and our future. Every conversation and agreement must start and result in strengthening, not weakening, the statehood of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such awareness must, above all, be constantly present among us and guide every word and deed of ours, testify to our unwavering commitment to the well-being and future of our state and society. We cannot act as if someone cares more about this state and its citizens than we do ourselves. Especially Bosniaks do not have the luxury of repeating the mistakes of the nineties.