The President’s recent statements have caused protests from the neighbouring country.
Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović responded in writing to the Srebrenica Mothers Association, which has “taken away” her title of the “Queen of the Balkans”. The Bosnian association, which commemorates the victim of the genocide committed by the Bosnian Serb forces in 1995, accused the Croatian President of Islamophobia and stated that they were wrong when several years ago they honoured her with the “Queen of the Balkans” nickname, reports Jutarnji List on September 8, 2017.
In her letter, the President said she was never the “Queen of the Balkans”, but just the president of Croatia and that her primary task was to protect the interests of her own country. Also, the President expressed great respect for Islam, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the town where the terrible crime was committed, adding that Bosnia and Herzegovina will not have a stronger advocate of its European path than Croatia.
“Although I did not receive it personally, I have read about your open letter in the media. I would like to thank you for your sincere emotions and thoughts. You know how much I respect your efforts to keep and promote the truth about the genocide in Srebrenica. I was with you two years ago at the commemoration in Srebrenica, and as a mother and a woman, I felt your sorrow and pain. And my Croatian people have experienced similar horrors, and many Croatian mothers have told me about their grief.
Since you have addressed me as the “Queen of the Balkans”, I must immediately point out that I have never seen myself as such, since I am President of Croatia. Nothing more and nothing less than that.
My first duty is to protect the national interests of Croatia and the national interests of the Croatian people and all Croatian citizens. Also, I have the responsibility to build peace and relations of cooperation and friendship with all states, first and foremost with our neighbours. There is no country with which it is more necessary to build such relationships than Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are few countries in the world which are so connected, historically, economically, commercially, culturally, as our two nations. Also, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a homeland of the Croat nation as well. My concern for its well-being is part of the desire to achieve prosperity for all peoples and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of their religion and ethnicity. I want Bosnia and Herzegovina to realise all of its development potentials and I am ready to provide all possible support. Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have and will not have a stronger advocate for its European path than Croatia.
I emphasise my sincere respect for Islam, both because of its principles and my personal experience. I also greatly appreciate the contribution of Croatian citizens of the Islamic faith during the Homeland War. I have warned about the dangers of extremism which are or could be inspired by the distorted interpretations of the faith I perceive as the religion of peace; I have never spoken about Islam, Bosniaks or Bosnia and Herzegovina as those who could be its source or instigators. I condemn any statement of intolerance or an act of hatred towards anybody, from wherever it comes.
From all this, it is quite clear that I do not perceive Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens as a threat to Croatia. It is therefore completely unacceptable that my political activity is in any way compared with “statements coming from Serbia in the period that preceded the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina.” But, I am convinced that you share my view that international terrorism and any extremism are the greatest threat to peace in the world and the common civilizational values, and that it is our shared duty to prevent everything that can diminish or distort our closeness.
Thank you for your invitation to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina. I would be pleased if I had an opportunity to meet again with you,” wrote the President in her message.
The President has been under criticism from Bosnia and Herzegovina recently due to her comments which emphasised and, according to some, exaggerated the threat of Islamist terrorism coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Translated from Jutarnji List.
