One of the leading world economists Jeffrey Sachs gave an interview for N1 in which he talked about the role of international financial institutions in the breakup of Yugoslavia, how important it is to be part of the EU, what the peace on earth depends on the most and many other questions.
Jeffrey Sachs was the guest of the Monday Forum organized by the Foundation “Shared societies and values” in Sarajevo. The Forum was a unique opportunity for participants to speak with one of the youngest and most influential economy professors in the history of the US.
Sachs is the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Millennium Development Goals and is one of the key creators of the 2030 Agenda implemented by all the UN member states.
Speaking to N1’s Amir Krivosija, Sachs said politicians, in general, do not listen to evidence. Too many politicians are either corrupt or they are playing the game of power and not enough politicians listen to what the world needs for the common good, which is what politics should be about. Politics should be searching for solutions to problems like climate change or poverty, but in most places in the world, politicians do not do their job properly.
Speaking about Bosnian citizens leaving the country to live abroad, in the EU, he said the EU is going through an anxiety caused by mass migrations in recent years and that there are politicians who are getting to power by fighting migration, such as Matteo Salvini Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of the Interior since June 1, 2018. Sachs called Salvini a “loudmouth,” and adding that many others are using US President Donald Trump's strategy of being “quite nasty.” This strategy is something well known in this region because ethnic divisions are easy to play for political manipulation and the world is in a phase where this is a very real phenomenon.
When it comes to Bosnia’s small size and how that affects its economic development he said the size itself does not play a significant role here, but that peace in the region is what is the significant factor to Bosnia's economic development. If Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Russia are in a conflictual environment then the country that is in the middle like Bosnia will not be able to thrive. If these relations are satisfactory then a small country like Bosnia can thrive. The question thus is not the size of the country, but the relations in the region.
The entire interview can be seen below:
