Bosnia and Herzegovina society is experiencing a demographic disaster, which should be the focus of political discussions and solutions, instead of daily political topics about border changes, war and the like, which increases the crisis in society and leads to a mass departure of residents to more developed and safer countries - believes the doctor of sociological sciences and research associate of the Institute for Research of Crimes against Humanity and International Law, University of Sarajevo, Muamer Džananović.
In an interview with Fena, he emphasizes that the politicians who create this kind of environment in our society must realize that it is time to turn to mitigating such trends and to eliminate from their political programs the topics that, unfortunately, they primarily deal with.
- It must be taken into account that there are very unfavorable demographic trends in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where we primarily mean negative natural growth that has been present for many years. However, it is also evident from other indicators why our country has fewer and fewer inhabitants. We live in a society where, even thirty years after the beginning of the aggression and the commission of the crime, the big-state ideology is not abandoned, which contributes to the departure of the viewpoint for security reasons as well as those of an economic nature and the like - believes Džananović.
He notes that citizens want to live in societies where there is no corruption, to the extent that it is present in our country.
- They want to have adequate health care, education and it is devastating that people leave and do not think of coming back. They simply want to live in a society where they won't be forced to deal with daily political issues, they don't want to think about the horrors of war, they want to work and live adequately from their work - he points out.
He emphasizes that, in addition to negative natural growth, BH. the population is entering old age and the average age is very high.
- In some regions, the population is extremely old. There are fewer and fewer young people and the population of working and fertile age is decreasing. The indicators on the number of the population in the optimal fertile age for giving birth are very worrying. The total fertility rate is lower than 1.3 children per woman. Some municipalities and regions in our country will be left without inhabitants for a short period of time - warns Džananović.
He points out that the war is certainly the main reason for demographic catastrophic changes and demographic consequences.
- One of the focuses of ruling policies is nationalist rhetoric and discriminatory policy towards returnees. It is terrible that convicted war criminals stand side by side with leading politicians from the smaller entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina at their rallies. What kind of message is being sent and what are the politicians from the RS actually doing - says Džananović.
Given that he has been engaged in scientific research of crimes for a long period of time, he states that the policy implemented in the nineties led to the killing, abuse and expulsion of the majority of Bosniaks and Croats from the RS, which, he notes, achieved one of Greater Serbia's strategic goals.
- Instead of the society after the aggression and genocide being directed towards prosperity in every sense, joining the NATO alliance, the EU, the ideology of evil is actually still advocated and that policy is carried out by other methods, adapted to 'peacetime' conditions. It led to the fact that the villages are deserted, and the cities, in which the dominant ethnic group is Serbs, for example, are actually 'cities of old people'. And from certain parts of the second entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, political representatives send messages about the prosperity of certain cities and cantons. The facts are far from that when all demographic indicators are analyzed - Džananović assessed.
He believes that the politicians who create this kind of environment in our society must realize that it is time to turn to mitigating such trends and to eliminate from their political programs the topics that they unfortunately primarily deal with.
- Their task is to create a better environment in society and living conditions for every person, regardless of their name. An environment must be created in which everyone will work and be adequately paid for their work. Other measures must be adopted urgently, which will primarily stop the mass departure of the population and increase the birth rate. And the population should support those who will direct all their strength and energy into improving the living conditions of all citizens of BiH - Džananović believes.
Source: Vijesti.ba/FENA