“The world has changed significantly over the past three years; the conflict in Ukraine, events in Gaza, and the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump have led to the complete erosion of a certain order,” political scientist Vojislav Savić said while appearing on the RTRS Morning Program.
“Savić spoke about the diplomatic activities of Željka Cvijanović in Washington, where she held talks with key figures of the Trump administration, informing them about the key political challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
“He added that it is remarkable how much the climate and political relations have changed, and that this change is still ongoing.”
“‘In that sense, this diplomatic offensive is extremely important—from Israel, through Moscow, to Budapest. This is the result of extensive work on the domestic front and communication with people from the American establishment who want to understand what is happening in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to formulate an appropriate strategy. This is not a random choice; it is the result of numerous diplomatic activities, and we will see how the future architecture of the world and the Balkans will look,’ Savić said.”
“He also commented on articles published yesterday that described Cvijanović’s visit as a ‘Russian submarine in Washington,’ noting that the text was written by a prominent Bosniak columnist who criticized the inactivity of Bosniak politicians.”
“‘That reaction shows how significant this is. They are disappointed that their representatives failed to achieve this. After the meeting with Howard Lutnick, a close associate of Donald Trump and one of the most sought-after figures to reach, it is clear that this is not about attacking Sarajevo, but about offering solutions and working on economic projects that will strengthen stability across the entire region and Republika Srpska. When you have investments, you have the interest of investors in maintaining stability,’ Savić emphasized.”
“He stressed that this is the key message that differentiates the diplomatic tactics of Sarajevo and Banja Luka.”
“‘Sarajevo politicians, wherever they appear, focus solely on Republika Srpska. In previous administrations, they had interlocutors for such topics. However, today, after everything that has happened in the world and the change in the American course, I believe that a policy of complaining and pleading no longer works and has become completely caricatured. Even within America itself there are conflicts on the streets, and in such a situation, if you come with an empty political narrative, you are of interest to no one,’ Savić said.”
“He pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina has been completely dysfunctional for the past 30 years and that the problems were produced by people from that establishment.”
“‘Murphy created problems; it will take us ten years to recover. The same applies to Christian Schmidt, but you must demonstrate that you are ready to secure investments. When you have that momentum, it becomes easier to get rid of political constructs such as foreign judges and the Office of the High Representative. In that sense, this visit was about offering constructive solutions,’ Savić stated.”
“Regarding Cvijanović’s meeting with Lutnick, Savić emphasized that such a meeting had not occurred for any official from Bosnia and Herzegovina in years.”
“‘In addition, I would single out Anna Paulina Luna. She is a star of international relations and a representative of ordinary people in America. Through a difficult path, she rose to become a leader among Republicans, a hardline advocate of MAGA policies, and enjoys great popularity. Unfortunately, yesterday some Serb bloggers began claiming that she spoke about the so-called “Sarajevo Safari,” but I must deny that. This is a remnant of the globalist structure. Today, this is easy to refute, and I reliably know that representatives of Srpska in the U.S. contacted her office and that claim was denied. Since it was all a farce, it was easy to explain that none of it was true,’ Savić said.”
“He stressed that Sarajevo’s political leadership has failed to grasp that global circumstances have changed and that certain narratives are no longer viable.”
“‘They still do not understand that the currents have completely shifted. Reality must be accepted, along with economic prosperity. We are still waiting for politicians in Sarajevo to realize that reality is not what they were led to believe, and it is only a matter of time before that bubble bursts. High-level politics is conducted among major powers—Russia and the United States will reach an agreement, that is evident. Others will have to adapt to how this affects Europe. Within that systemic solution, we will more easily find our place and secure the interests of Republika Srpska,’ Savić said.”
“He added that diplomacy requires patience and noted that, alongside Lutnick—the most important figure in this campaign—there were also numerous meetings with congressmen and senators.”
“‘These were not only Republicans; there were meetings with a congresswoman from the Democratic Party as well. Wherever there are open doors, you should talk. For 30 years, we had no open doors in Washington because the narrative was shaped by Zlatko Lagumdžija and elites who portrayed Serbs as evil separatists. Those are fairy tales no one believes anymore,’ Savić emphasized.”
“He expressed hope that Europe’s political course will, in future cycles, be cleansed of bureaucratic structures that fail to understand how the world functions.”
“‘The problem is broader than it seems, but it is important that all meetings that have taken place—and those that will take place—mean that we finally have people in the U.S. who are open to hearing new perspectives,’ Savić said.”
“Commenting on attempts by various politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina to downplay the significance of the Prayer Breakfast, Savić recalled similar efforts to diminish visits to Israel and Hungary.”
“‘This is a provincial habit and reflects the immaturity of politicians in Sarajevo. Israel and Hungary received representatives of Republika Srpska—that is a political message. It was neither a gaffe nor a mistake, because they were received under the flag of Republika Srpska. This shows how artificially constructed that coalition is, something Murphy himself admitted. It can be said that Denis Bećirović and Konaković are not figures capable of reaching an agreement. They were presented as a new hope, but relied on nationalist policies. They are unable to implement their own agendas and were outmaneuvered by someone they label a “Russian submarine.” Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for us, this is now reality,’ Savić said.”
“He concluded that the world has long since changed, but that this alone means nothing without concrete action.”
“‘What needs to be done is exactly what is being done now—travel, talk, and impose your own topics, confront problems directly. The Constitutional Court, state property, the OHR—these issues must be addressed head-on, taking advantage of Sarajevo’s passivity, which expects the High Representative to create a unitary Bosnia and Herzegovina. This world is not written by the Brothers Grimm. It is brutal. We must adapt and align our actions with the world we live in,’ Savić said.”
“Speaking about the elections expected in a few days, Savić described them as meaningless elections imposed by Murphy’s policy.”
“‘This is Murphy’s policy, which initiated a process in their minds: first imposition, then court proceedings, then acceleration toward snap elections, so that in the next electoral cycle they could decide who forms the government. Unfortunately for them, that policy has lost support in Washington. The elections have been devalued by subsequent annulments when it suited them, and now citizens are once again being burdened with voting. I do not believe the outcome will be different. This marks the expiration date of a destructive policy that has muddied the waters in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 30 years,’ Savić concluded.”
Source: RTRS
