The Serb member and Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željka Cvijanović, stated that during a meeting in Antalya, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked about the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and that she conveyed Dodik’s greetings to him.
“They have truly had and still have a good working relationship over many years. I believe these are the kinds of ties that exist today between true leaders. You can recognize that type of communication. Genuine leaders behave one way, while others—political lightweights who happen to show up, do a job, and then leave—act quite differently,” Cvijanović said.
She emphasized that, on the other hand, there are those who lead serious national policies without seeking to jeopardize the national interests of others.
“They recognize one another very clearly, and when you observe how easily President Dodik communicates with certain world leaders, it’s evident that they’ve recognized in each other the same desire—to ensure the safety and well-being of their respective communities,” she noted.
Cvijanović added that such leaders don’t aim to harm other communities but insist on communicating on sound, normal foundations, and believe this is achievable—though it requires engagement with others of the same stature.
“There are such figures in the world. The world is not so broken and worn out that it lacks people capable of resolving important matters. Unfortunately, it would be better if there were more of them,” Cvijanović stressed.
She remarked that, aside from Dodik, she does not currently see anyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina capable of being a true leader.
“If you look at Republika Srpska or the Bosniak political bloc, today it is completely devoid of leadership,” Cvijanović said.
According to her, being a leader means having a broad perspective and being able to secure a place within that picture for your own community—while not excluding anyone else from it.
“What I see in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly in the Bosniak political bloc, are all narrow perspectives. There is no matured leader there, and that makes it difficult to reach any agreements in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Cvijanović pointed out.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a working breakfast today in Antalya for the members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cvijanović is participating in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which began yesterday and over the course of three days has gathered more than 4,800 participants from over 140 countries.
Source: RTRS
