A senior member of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Denis Zvizdic, has resigned and is no longer an SDA member.

Zvizdic joined SDA in 1991 and became its vice-president in 2015 but since the last elections in 2020, after the party achieved poor results particularly in the Bosnian capital, he was calling for changes in its structure and leadership mostly due to the many affairs that were lately linked to other senior SDA members.

“Lack of creative energy, loss of young and educated members”

Addressing the media on Friday, Zvizdic said he spent 30 years as an SDA member and gained the trust of nearly 40,000 voters. He did not resign earlier as he hoped the mistakes would be fixed.

But, he added, the attempts to point at the situation within this political party have failed.

“I am confident that my behaviour was fair and right, both towards the membership and the people in the field whose expectations were let down,” said Zvizdic.

“After many calls to return to original principles and conducting meritocratic changes based on skills and competencies, it became useless to participate in the work of the Collegium and the Presidency of SDA any longer. Too many promises, almost no specific steps,” he added.

He also complained about the lack of creative energy and the loss of young and educated members.

“Instead of dealing with strategic matters, it (SDA) became overburdened with internal issues and affairs, losing from sight its programme goals and progress,” he added.

“As long as there is a gleam of hope”

Speaking to N1 in May this year, Zvizdic said he would remain the party member as long as there is “a gleam of hope there” but that it seems like this gleam is disappearing.

“Last time I explicitly responded to this question: I will stay as long as there is a gleam of hope. We have exact indicators that something is not right and there will be no progress without changes,” said Zvizdic, expressing his dissatisfaction with the situation in SDA, the main and ruling Bosniak party, and his disagreements with the leadership.

“The point is that the SDA must take specific steps, we are not witnessing any serious processes that the party will be taken over by those who are capable to regain authority,” he added.

Zvizdic currently serves as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina.