"Bosnia elections could fuel nationalism"

Miroslav Lajcak says the Radovan Karadzic trial should not be used to inflame nationalism in Bosnia-Hercegovina. “Karadzic’s arrest has the potential to aid reconciliation in Bosnia. Sadly, because of the way it has been portrayed in the Bosnian Federation and the Republic of Srpska, it has gone in the opposite direction, towards further divisions, accusations and rising nationalism,“ said the international high representative in an interview with Novi Sad daily Dnevnik. "Bosnia elections could fuel nationalism" Speaking about the October elections in Bosnia-Hercegovina, Lajcak said that if the way the election campaign was being run was anything to go by, there would be nothing new. “It’s being led in the same nationalist rhetoric of spreading fear of others, as all previous ones. That’s a paradox and an irony. In meetings with ordinary citizens—be they Serbs, Bosniaks or Croats—no-one has told me that they need protection from members of other ethnic groups,“ he said. The high representative added that the whole country was beset by the same problems: unemployment, corruption, education. “However, as we enter the election campaign we’re descending back into the rhetoric that leads to deepening divisions, and then citizens forget to ask politicians specific questions: how many jobs have you created, what have you done in education, how many schools have been repaired, what have you done to improve health care, how high are salaries,“ said Lajcak.

"Bosnia elections could fuel nationalism"

Speaking about the October elections in Bosnia-Hercegovina, Lajčak said that if the way the election campaign was being run was anything to go by, there would be nothing new.

“It’s being led in the same nationalist rhetoric of spreading fear of others, as all previous ones. That’s a paradox and an irony. In meetings with ordinary citizens—be they Serbs, Bosniaks or Croats—no-one has told me that they need protection from members of other ethnic groups,“ he said.

The high representative added that the whole country was beset by the same problems: unemployment, corruption, education.

“However, as we enter the election campaign we’re descending back into the rhetoric that leads to deepening divisions, and then citizens forget to ask politicians specific questions: how many jobs have you created, what have you done in education, how many schools have been repaired, what have you done to improve health care, how high are salaries,“ said Lajčak.