VKBI,HNV AND SGV SUPPORT DECLARATION FOR PEACE

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 19,2007) – Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals’ Council (VKBI), Croat People’s Council (HNV) and Serb Council of Citizens (SGV) supported yesterday Declaration for Peace and against the Violence initiated by the Association of Independent Intellectuals Circle 99.

The Declaration is aimed against any attempt of renewal of violence in Bosnia and calls the Bosnian citizens to distance themselves from the initiators and organizers of the possible conflicts, including the measures such as civic disobedience towards such persons.

The Declaration was presented yesterday at the Circle 99 session in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo on the topic “A Call for Peace and Tolerance”. Representatives of the NGOs talked about the current political crisis in the Bosnia.

Hidajet Repovac, President of the Circle 99, stated that the political situation in Bosnia is serious. In that sense he emphasized a bad situation in the sector of politics and economy.

According to him, it is not the International Community's High Representative’s measures that caused the crisis.

Repovac said that the crisis began in 1992, the year when the Serbian aggression against Bosnia started. It continued after the war,he said. He also commented the newest wave of price growth and added that the main goal of the situation is to place a rope around the poor peoples’ necks.

However,Repovac said one must not think for a second that chaotic situation will lead us to a disaster.

Sabira Hadzovic, President of the VKBI, welcomed the Declaration and stated that good upbringing and education are needed for tolerance.

Franciscan Theology Professor in Sarajevo Fra Luka Markesic, President of the HNV, stated that the situation in Bosnia should be openly analyzed in order to find methods for overcoming the crisis.

Markesic is of the opinion that some people exaggerate in their statements that the situation in Bosnia is disastrous. Others minimize it.

”The crisis is serious, but it should not lead us towards bringing the country down to the knees or towards the practice of concealing the problems”, he said.

Markesic sees the solution in implementation of the Dayton Agreement and its amendments for the purpose of building a modern and democratic Bosnia.

If the reforms, especially police and constitutional reforms, are not implemented, the crisis will deepen. Blockade should be lifted from the country and the people making it should be removed, Markesic said. He fully supported the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak and urged him to continue implementing his plan.

However, he emphasized that Lajcak should not work alone. He should cooperate with all Bosnian citizens.

SGV has never given up the sovereign and united Bosnia, a country of equal and constitutive peoples, Veljo Dreca said.

He added that the SGV is fighting every day to preserve equal rights to all Bosnian citizens. He added that social processes take a long time to be implemented and that in that sense we should be patient.

His experience from the field has shown that the situation among the citizens is far better than is among Bosnia's politicians.

Dreca said that he heard the citizens of Gorazde, accuse only the politicians for the crisis, not other peoples. He has heard similar attitudes from police members. All of them would love to see the police reform implemented,he said.