The Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina called on all political actors to refrain from instrumentalizing Islam, the Islamic Community, its religious authorities and religious symbols in the election campaign.

“In a very short time, we witnessed mockery of Muslim religious prayers, accusations of Muslim religious authorities of ‘radicalism,’ subversion of so-called Islamic dangers, accusations of creating some kind of ‘Islamic republic’, playing with people's religious feelings, etc. All this is inappropriate for a decent public debate and even a fair political competition, and it’s clearly done with the aim of political polarization of society”, Muhamed Jusic, Head of the Directorate for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, told the MINA Agency.

He said that the Islamic Community believes that politicians and their media and “analysts” have enough space to conduct the election campaign by dealing with the real problems of citizens, their realized or unrealized promises and a clear vision of getting out of the accumulated problems, especially of local communities.

Jusic concluded by saying that the Islamic community in Bosnia and Herzegovina will react most fiercely to any attempt to politically instrumentalize its institution, religious authorities and religious feelings of its members, which is its right and obligation.