ELECTION CAMPAIGN OF ASSOCIATED LIST OF B&H PROMOTED

THE WORST IS OVER, VOTE FOR THE BEST

AIM Sarajevo, August 6, 1996

Five parties (Social Democratic Party /SDP/, Union of B&H Social Democrats /UBSD/, Croat Peasants' Party /HSS/, Muslim Bosniac Organization /MBO/ and Republican Party /RS/) are running together in the elections scheduled for September 14, 1996 in Bosnia & Herzegovina as the Associated List of B&H. They promoted their election campaign today in the presence of numerous television, radio and press crews, sympathizers, friends and guests. It all took place a few minutes after noon, with symbolic ringing of a big red alarm clock which is as a symbol on all badges, stickers, cigarette lighters, pens... The staircase leading to the premises and the premises of the Associated list are decorated since yeasterday by slogans such as "The Worst is Over, Vote for the Best", "Do Something for Yourselves, Vote for the Associated List!", The War is Over, Leave the Trenches", "Everything They Had Promised, They Took for Themselves!" "Your Money is in Their Pockets!" "They are not only dividing power, they are dividing the country!"

In the name of the coalition, the present were greeted by Zdravko Grebo, one of those whose name certainly inspires confidence, just like the names of Ivo Komsic, Selim Beslagic, Marko Vesovic, Zlatko Lagumdzija, Sejfudin Tokic, Bogic Bogicevic, Sead Avdic... University professors, writers, journalists, politicians, are together "for the purpose of uniting forces devoted to united and integral B&H, for the purpose of ensuring equality for all the nations of B&H, for the purpose of affirmation of the principles of civic state with full legal, economic and social safety of the citiezens, as well as for the purpose of creation of an alternative to warmongers, separatists and nationalists."

"Our campaign", said Nijaz Skenderagic, member of the Main Committee of the election headquarters, "is based on the clear strategy of commitment to peace, to integral B&H in which noone will feel cramped, to democratic social system, and to a civic society in which equality of nations is the result of equality of individuals... The Associated List of B&H is not against the so-called national parties, but it is against powers of darkness. Against shutting into national ghettoes, against hatred. We are offering bridges of cooperation, reconciliation and future. We are not 'against', we are 'in favour'.

Agreeing to the existing situation and relations in our state has no perspective. Only with changes can we preserve what is worth preserving. Audio-visual and graphic identity of the coalition Associated List of B&H is represented by an alarm clock. It is an object which is found in every home. And we wish everyone to have a warm and cosy home. This is our trademark. The hands on the clock point to number 12. We wish to show with this that there is no time left. The time is now. Time has come for changes. They have spent their time. Time has come for the Associated List of B&H! And that time begins on September 14.

Our message to our citizens is: Wake up! It is your destiny which is being decided about. Let's do it together. We wish to send word to the Bosnians and Herzegovinians: We have united among ourselves. We will unite Bosnia & Herzegovina as well... The worst thing that may happen to Bosnia is petrification of the present situation. As we can see, methods of intimidation are on the scene again, in order to provoke ethnic homegenization again and gathering around a single party - a single ballot box", said Skenderagic.

Good wishes sent to the Associated List in the beginning of its election campaign by father Luka Markesic were received with special attention. The Professor at the Fransiscan Theology expressed regrets for not being a member of any of the parties which were associated in this coalition. His church forbids him that, but he thinks that he will act better in this way: "I am a member of the Associated List with my heart. I am proud that you are running together, that you are certifying that coexistence among people is possible and that it existed. We should all remain independent. But remaining independent does not mean to build a wall around oneself, but opening to the others", father Markesic said, stressing that the second reason for his pride was that they were not running individually as a single party. "Because sad is the nation which is defended and represented by a single party... It is not our destiny to live together in Bosnia & Herzegovina, it is our wish to live together."

The poet Izet Sarajlic Kiko, one of the eldest living writers in B&H, although he is not a member of any party either, will also vote for the Associated List as he said. According to his words, there is no Bosnia as some of the current politicians say, when only Bosniacs live in it. There is no Bosnia without everybody, the poet says, and lists family names of those present, illustrating in the best possible way the multiethnic composition of the membership of this coalition. Well known American writer and philosopher, Susan Sonntag, who is visiting Sarajevo again, is also indirectly expressing her inclination towards this coalition.

N.S.