The head of Bosnia’s Islamic Community said on Thursday that Bosnians should not be angry with the United Arab Emirates because they sent aid to neighbouring Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro but not to Bosnia and that this is most likely a consequence of a misunderstanding between different policies.

“What must not happen is that any kind of animosity toward our brothers in the Emirates, or any other people, starts spreading among citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially among Bosniaks,” Husein Kavazovic said.

“We believe that this is a consequence of misunderstanding regarding policies and that this crisis is the best chance to overcome that situation,” he told the MINA news agency, adding that “policies are policies and they mustn’t be allowed to damage good relations between peoples.”

The Grand Mufti made the statement in response to numerous questions he received from members of the Islamic Community recently.

Bosnia should rely more on its own resources and citizens should not interpret this as a bad message from the UAE, he said, stressing that many government and non-government organisations from there have supported Bosnia in the past and continue to do so.

He also said that there were announcements saying that help will be coming from humanitarian organisations from the UAE which the Islamic Community contacted.

The religious leader argued that Bosnia has enough friends in the world who offered their help during the crisis, adding that “heroes, as well as friends, are recognised during tribulations.”