The head of the Islamic community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein Kavazovic, said that the Bosniaks were aggrieved by the way in which the country's new government was formed after last year's elections, blaming it on international High Representative Christian Schmidt and Croatia.

Speaking in an interview with Voice of America, published on Monday, Kavazovic said that “the general impression” was that the Bosniaks were aggrieved thanks to “western neighbours”.

He was alluding to the accusations by the predominantly Bosniak Party of Democratic Action (SDA), which was relegated to opposition. The party claimed that Schmidt, by enabling the formation of the new government in the Bosniak-Croat entity called the Federation, effectively implemented the plan conceived in Zagreb.

He also described as harmful the fact that the United States had left the initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union, which he said led to obstruction and stagnation.

“Under European patronage, Bosnia and Herzegovina has been turned into a punching bag. Whoever wanted to try something in Bosnia and Herzegovina – could do it. Most often that was done by Serbia, Croatia, Russia and Hungary,” Kavazovic said.

He said it was particularly problematic that now the US did not have even a symbolic military presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, adding that that would send a clear message that the country was under US protection.

Kavazovic described Bosnia and Herzegovina as “a train running down a steep hill into an abyss” that could only be stopped by the US. He called on the US administration to get more involved.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina is obviously being attacked by its neighbours backed by EU powers. Hungary and Russia are leaders, destroying relations within Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are drawing the attention of our US friends to four countries that are not treating Bosnia and Herzegovina right. Those are Serbia, Croatia, Russia and Hungary,” Kavazovic said.