If someone wanted to offend Bosniaks, he could be citing fictitious unnamed high-ranking sources, send an unsigned text to hundreds of important addresses in Europe and the world claiming that ISIL, Al-Qaeda and Islamic radicals in the heart of Europe plan to make a “Greater Bosnia.” or, worse, an Islamic state.
Credibility would certainly be enhanced by a map of the phantom creation, where borders extend deep into Croatia, Serbia and even unite Albania. The “authenticity” of the story requires an unnamed intelligence service officer, an influential politician – a postman and a portal that will publish it all. If non-paper falls on fertile ground, it will be a top topic—a world story. The hoax would then be seriously commented on by all relevant politicians, the media and the public.
Accusations of a large Muslim project would harm, above all, Bosniak politicians. So an unknown author would hit the target, and they would start to defend themselves, which would mean that in all future negotiations, “Bosnian Islamic fanatics” would be weakened. If that lie became true, then the international community would also “honour” Croats and Serbs in BiH because they would be “our European policemen” here in the Gate of Europe. They would get more autonomy because they are guarding Christian Europe against the expansion of Islam.
After all, it would be tough to prove that punishment and reward arose on a fictional, propagandistic story.
This is exactly what the Slovenian non-paper on the division of BiH and the rest of the Balkans looks like. It’s just that it doesn’t target Bosniaks, but, it seems, “secessionists of Bosnia” Croats and Serbs. The saw is turned upside down. Non-existent people on non-existent paper from an unknown address reportedly sent a letter dividing the Western Balkans. Part of BiH was annexed to Serbia, part to Croatia, and Kosovo to Albania.
Although everyone denied it, especially the “authors” Slovenes, Bosniak politicians commented on the phantom non-paper as an official declaration of war. The author managed to blur the water and shift the focus from constitutional reforms into the destruction of inner political dialogue in Dayton, Bosnia and Herzegovina. And strengthen the suspicion on neighbours who “constantly strive to divide BiH.” This is the biggest trump card for those who want to expel them from the Constitution as constituent peoples and establish a unitary BiH.
Although everyone denied it, especially the “authors” Slovenes, Bosniak politicians commented on the phantom non-paper as an official declaration of war. The author managed to blur the water and shift the focus from constitutional reforms into the destruction of inner political dialogue in Dayton, Bosnia and Herzegovina. And strengthen the suspicion on neighbours who “constantly strive to divide BiH.” This is the biggest trump card for those who want to expel them from the Constitution as constituent peoples and establish a unitary BiH in which one the majority (Bosniak) people would rule.
It is symptomatic that the second, unsigned Slovenian letter arrived in Sarajevo a month after the first one, the signed one, signed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken’s letter shocked all Bosniak unitarians who expected the new US administration to overthrow its own Dayton Accords and establish a unitary BiH instead of a state with three constituent peoples. Quite the opposite. The Biden administration is seeking constitutional reforms based on the current Dayton Accords. There is no Dayton 2. That means – BiH remains a state with two entities and three constituent peoples. Three constituent peoples, not one!
Since America must not be told “no”, it needs to be diplomatically reassured that it is wrong. Its attitude can be changed only if it is proven that BiH is in danger of an “internal or external enemy”. That is why systematic accusations weaken, above all, Croats on both sides of the border. Even though the official Croatian policy in BiH and the Republic of Croatia has never talked about redrawing the borders or even about the third entity, they are accused of doing so. The myth from Karadjordjevo strengthens the guilt mortgage.
In this context, many were annoyed that a few days before Blinken’s letter, Croatia sent a constructive document asking Europe to take the initiative for a comprehensive transformation of society in BiH, with the aims for BiH to join the EU as soon as possible. Like a good neighbour who wants a complete European BiH, Croatia sends his non-paper transparently all over the world. And it’s getting more and more support for it because it is increasingly recognized that Croats are the only people in BIH truly interested in Euro-Atlantic BiH.
That is why it seems that the “Slovenian” non-existing letter was written by those who don’t like the two existing ones, American and Croatian. Those who do not want the Euro-Atlantic path of BiH, nor the American project – Dayton BiH. All indications are that behind the phantom letter are those who wanted to present themselves as victims of division. Milosevic’s Greater Serbia cuisine worked similarly. Then Yugoslavia fell apart. Let us hope that BiH will not fall apart due to Great Bosniak politics. Because, in this state, there is quite enough space for all its peoples and citizens.
Throughout turbulent BiH history, many states and leaders have redrawn its borders. Finally, the Dayton Agreement also divided BiH into two entities and ten cantons and the Brcko District. In a divided state today, everything is blocked because the spirit and letter of Dayton are being hacked. Mostly those who present themselves as patriots do that. If the original Dayton were to be respected, then BIH should seek no new solutions. Especially not in redrawing borders. History has shown that the borders in BiH are established only by blood. And even when non-existent cartoonists suggest them on non-existent papers.