Dragan Mektic, Security Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, promptly reacted to the statements by European Parliament member (MEP) from Croatia, Marijana Petir, who warned about increasing number of young women in Bosnia covering their heads with hijab and men growing beards and praying, in order to get scholarships from Arab countries.
Speaking before the European Parliament, Petir said that Wahhabi settlements were emerging throughout Bosnia, on borders with Croatia. She repeated the allegations in a statement for N1's ‘Dan uživo’, stressing that the Saudi Arabia was financing the spreading of conservative Islam in Bosnia through 240 charities.
Minister Mektic dismissed these allegations, saying that Bosnia's authorities maintain a good cooperation with agencies from the region and the EU, and that he was not sure what reports the MEPs based their words on.
“We don't have such information, the EU has not delivered anything like that to us. And this is not accurate data. We have different indicators. Those are statements without argument, given for political purposes. I have no idea where she gets that, we got over the crucial problems regarding this matter. She's a bit late. Our data is transparent and available to everyone,” Mektic underlined.
Member of the Bosnia's Parliament and Deputy Chair of Parliamentary Commission for European Integration, Nermina Kapetanovic, also commented Petir's statements.
“Don't you think that Mrs. Mogherini would urgently come to Bosnia if these allegations were true, to check the situation. So, I think that these allegations are pretentious, very malicious and they come at the moment when the European Commission should assess the quality of answers of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Questionnaire. I think that one very negative atmosphere on perception of Bosnia within the European Union is being created,” added Kapetanovic.
Minister Mektic deems that Bosnia's diplomacy should speak more on this subject and present the facts, and to work on eliminating of misinformation, which is aimed to make harm.
“This is making my job difficult too. Because it is not my job to argue with Petir and those like her,” stressed Mektic.
Analysts have different views on this matter.
Professor Zlatko Hadzidedic deems that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs operates as “some sort of a tourist agency for couple of families” who use it to travel abroad.
“And as for the dealing with diplomacy, whoever dares is removed very soon,” said Hadzidedic, who used to be employer of the Ministry.
On the other hand, international relations expert, Milos Solaja, warns that there is no joint answers to many questions – not only to the issue of Wahhabi movement.
“There is no harmonized stance on foreign policy strategy, and what can one expect then?,” he added.
