Bosnia must change and become a more democratic, European country but right now nationalism is being spread out of Banja Luka and Mostar, Serbian politician Cedomir Jovanovic said on Friday at a pre-election gathering of the Democratic Front (DF) in Sarajevo.

Jovanovic was referring to the pre-election campaigns of Bosnian Serb and Croat nationalist parties based in the Serb and Croat strongholds of Banja Luka and Mostar.  

The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party in Serbia said he came to the Democratic Front’s gathering not because he wants to interfere with internal affairs in Bosnia but because he sees the party of former Bosnian Croat president Zeljko Komsic as a partner.  

‘Bosnia and Serbia are dependent on each other. Problems can be ours and yours but the solution is a common policy,’ Jovanovic said.  

‘I think we can only be sure that we will achieve something if we work together. Bosnia must change. I want to see a citizen-oriented, democratic and European Bosnia and Herzegovina,’ he said. ‘If we cannot rely on the world, we are obligated to reach out to each other. I am worried about all that I see going on in Bosnia and Serbia today.’  

Jovanovic said he would like to see a change after the votes of the October election are counted.  

‘I don’t want to see Bosnia and Herzegovina being stalled by nationalism which is currently being spread from Banja Luka and Mostar,’ he said.  

‘I wish Bosnia and Herzegovina to do in the forthcoming mandate everything it failed to do before because of irresponsible divisions,’ Jovanovic concluded.