Lastly, the final sample for the Bosnia and Herzegovina case study includes 7 commentaries and 5 interviews. Table 4 below provides an overview of their content.
Table 4. Content overview of the texts included in the Bosnia and Herzegovina sample.
B01 Almasa Hadžić, Neka ih je stid! [Shame on them!], published in Dnevni Avaz on 7 February 2014
In this quite aggressive opinion piece, written a few days after the first wave of protests, Tuzla-based reporter Almasa Hadžić openly sides with the protesters, blaming the government for failing to protect the people’s interests and to address their demands.
B02 Dino Mustafić, Ujedinjeni u gnjevu [United in anger], published in Oslobođenje on 10 February 2014
Film and theatre director Dino Mustafić regards social rage as a legitimate reaction against political corruption, as a way to pursue social justice. He blames both politicians and prominent observers for defaming protesters, framing the protests as ethnically motivated, and denying the possibility of social change. He then wishes for progressive forces to reshape the country’s political system.
B03 Slavo Kukić, Zemaljski bogovi i socijalna bijeda. Socijalni bunt za još jedan mandat
etnonacionalista [Earthly gods and social misery. A social uprising which will earn the
ethno-nationalists another term], published in Dnevni list on 10 February 2014
Sociologist and politician Slavo Kukić advances the view that protests are likely to favour ethno-nationalists by giving them an opportunity to manipulate the masses and further
entrench their power. He contends that protests stem from widespread discontent but are far from having a revolutionary character, as they are probably led by powerful actors behind the scenes.
B04 Almasa Hadžić, Čir je pukao [The bubble has burst], published in Dnevni Avaz on 11 February 2014
In this other commentary, Almasa Hadžić reaffirms her support for the protests, stating that they are a legitimate response to the social discontent caused by the political elites, which she also blames for manipulating the masses in order to gain consensus.
B05 Nino Raspudić, Njihova lasta ne čini naše proljeće [Their swallow does not make our spring], published in Nezavisne novine on 11 February 2014
Political commentator Nino Raspudić24 offers various interpretations of the demonstrations,
suggesting that they could be part of broader power struggles at the national or international level. He concludes by arguing that Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina do not have a stake in the current protest movement, because they lack proper political representation in the country and therefore have nobody to protest against.
B06 Ibrahim Prohić (interviewed by Đ. Krajišnik), Vlast se plaši jedinstva građana [The government is afraid of the unity of the citizens], published in Dani on 14 February 2014
Political analyst and psychologist Ibrahim Prohić endorses the protests as a way to vent popular frustration with the political leaders as well as express widespread concern over the deteriorating social situation in the country. He claims that the authorities fear the masses and hence react by fostering ethnic animosities and condemning violence instead of facing their own responsibilities.
B07 Enes Trumić, Neko se probudio, neko se tek budi [Someone woke up, some are just waking up], published in Oslobođenje on 17 February 2014
Commentator Enes Trumić contends that protests have forced political elites to confront their failings, heralding progress and prosperity for the whole country. He blames the authorities for promoting entertainment (especially football) as a way to defuse social discontent, and justifies violent acts by the protesters as a struggle for survival. Finally, he calls upon Gandhi-like political leaders to work for the common good of Bosnian- Herzegovinian society.
B08 Asim Mujkić (interviewed by V. Bačanović), Gradimo otoke slobode [Let us build islands of freedom], published in Dani on 21 February 2014
Political science professor Asim Mujkić advances the view that the citizen plenums challenge the dominant ethno-nationalist ideology in significant ways. After discussing the ideological structure of Bosnian-Herzegovinian society and the role of academia in it, he endorses direct democracy as a way for the marginalised to re-enter the political debate and achieve emancipation. Protests and plenums, he maintains, provide an innovative alternative to ethno-politics.
B09 Ibrahim Prohić (interviewed by S. Degirmendžić), Vlast se uplašila opljačkanih
građana [The authorities are afraid of defrauded citizens], published in Dnevni Avaz on
21 February 2014
In this other interview, political analyst and psychologist Ibrahim Prohić explains that politicians’ reactions to the protests consist of four phases: silence, media spinning, staged commitment to change, repression. He argues that political elites will not change unless the people force them to do so.
B10 Svetlana Cenić, Svako svoje pljačka i svako svoje bira [Everyone robs their own, everyone elects their own], published in Dani on 21 February 2014
Economist and former politician Svetlana Cenić argues that politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina resembles a corrupted market system monopolised by political parties. Protests, she claims, are a reaction against the illusion of political marketing, signalling that people have begun to question the established order based on the ethnic norm.
B11 Zdravko Grebo (interviewed by S. Degirmendžić), Nemojte odustati, budite na ulicama
do izbora! [Do not give up, stay in the streets until the elections!], published in Dnevni Avaz on 22 February 2014
In this interview, Law professor and renowned political activist Zdravko Grebo claims that revolting against political corruption is fully justified and that every citizen affected by the problem should take to the streets. Although they failed to break the dominant ethno- nationalist paradigm, protests have a historical significance, says Grebo, asking the people to keep demonstrating and to not let the government manipulate them.
B12 Vehid Šehić (interviewed by S. Karić), Kad kupujete socijalni mir, desi se ulica [Who buys social peace gets street clashes], published in Oslobođenje on 26 February 2014
Political analyst and Tuzla-based activist Vehid Šehić views the protests as a workers’ revolt fuelled by the yawning gap between the people and the elite, political corruption and human rights violations. He encourages protesters to focus on redressing social inequalities and avoid political appropriation. Then, he explains the lack of protests in Republika Srpska as a result of ethnic propaganda, advancing the notion of ethnic privatisation.
The results of in-depth qualitative analysis of all the texts included in the final three samples will be presented in Chapter 5, 6 and 7, respectively.