Bosnia fails to adopt Day of Mourning for Tuzla fire victims

Speaking to N1, Konakovic stressed that the decision revealed deep moral and political divisions within the government.

“There are humane and inhumane decisions. Humans make humane decisions, inhumans make inhumane ones,” he said. “This is not the first time that, in moments that require a human response, SNSD ministers have refused to vote in favor of a Day of Mourning.”

He drew parallels with previous instances, noting: “I disagree with those who tell us we should all be the same. We supported a Day of Mourning after the school massacre in Serbia, and I believe this shows the clear difference, between us and them.”

“Are Serbs ashamed of who represents them?”

Konakovic also sent a pointed message to citizens of Serb nationality regarding their political representatives.

“Serbs need to understand who they have chosen to represent them in Bosnia’s institutions. Are they even slightly ashamed of what these people are doing, time and again?” he said. “Those who glorify and celebrate war criminals who killed children and pregnant women, we can’t expect much from them.”

Karisik: A demonstration of political power, Troika has no leverage

Political analyst Elma Karisik told N1 that the incident was another example of how certain political actors use tragedy to assert dominance.

“We didn’t have a Day of Mourning for Halid Beslic’s tragedy, or even for Srebrenica. Tuzla is just the latest example of how they demonstrate their political power within the state coalition,” Karisik said.

She added that the parties from the “Troika” bloc, which supported the declaration, lack the strength to impose such decisions.

“The parties that supported the Day of Mourning over Tuzla have no real negotiating power in this configuration,” she noted.

Karisik concluded that politicizing even a national tragedy is “deeply morbid,” adding that “when people are mourning, the fact that politicians use such moments for power plays shows just how detached they are from humanity.”