Political scientist Filip Matić believes that, just as they did on March 1, 1992, Bosniaks still desire a unitary Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where the majority population decides, leading to the constant discrimination of the minority.
“We are not talking about national minorities of one or two percent, but about approximately 35 to 40 percent of the population. Unfortunately, the spirit of March 1 still lives on today,” Matić said.
He mentioned that the entire Bosniak public, especially their political elites, are consistently working towards achieving a unitary BiH, facilitating the discrimination of others.
“We see this, for example, with the Croats in the Federation of BiH, where their member of the Presidency of BiH is constantly elected without the majority of the Croatian people’s will,” added Matić.
Matić pointed out the constant attempts to abolish the Republika Srpska and diminish its competencies.
“In essence, they want to overrule again. They consistently have the desire to make decisions on behalf of others, to take revenge for some imagined crimes concocted for them by the West and sold to them as a very cheap, yet sweet commodity, which is actually the foundation of their national identity,” Matić told Srna.
Matić believes that celebrating March 1 is not the biggest issue, but rather the fact that this date still lives among Bosniaks, especially among all their political elites, regardless of whether it involves SDA, SBB, Narod i Pravda, or Naša Stranka.
“Let them celebrate what they wish to celebrate and mark the dates important to them. Everything they organized towards the independence of BiH on that March 1 was organized against the will of the Serbs,” Matić stated.
In parts of the Federation of BiH with a majority Bosniak population, March 1 is celebrated as the so-called Independence Day of BiH, as it was then that an illegal referendum on independence and secession of BiH from the SFRY was held.
This tragic date is not celebrated in the Republika Srpska but November 21 is – the day when the General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH was initialed at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, marking the end of the civil war in BiH.
Source: RTRS
