Political liberalism of Bosnia and Herzegovina was celebrating its 20th anniversary last weekend in Sarajevo, at the occasion of an ALDE seminar on "Transition and Nationalism". Created in the autumn of 1989, and established on the ideas of pluralism, freedom, equality, democracy and human rights, the predecessor of the actual Liberal Democrat Party of BiH (LDS) was the first political organisation to be created after years of a one-party system.
Aloys Rigaut, president of European Liberal Youth (LYMEC), stressed at this occasion: 'What a difficulty to create dialogue between young people that were fighting against each other a few years ago. What a difficulty to promote the liberal values of freedom and tolerance in countries where their leaders had taught them order and hatred via all means possible. What a difficulty also to promote European integration, closing down barriers, when they had been inculcated a deep nationalism feeling and when so many new borders unknown to their parents had been created. But this is what liberals in the Western Balkans have done, and it merits respect and admiration', adding: 'The Initiative of South Eastern European Liberals (ISEEL), which gathers all liberal youth organisations from the region, was created only 5 years after the Dayton agreement, one year after the end of the Kosovo war. What they did may now seem common, but it certainly wasn't at the time'.
Amel Lidze, president of the Young Liberals of Bosnia-Herzegovina (MLBiH), underlined: 'LDS is the only political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina which has partners in all the countries of ex-Yugoslavia. By this, LDS wants to send the message to Bosnian citizens, Bosnian neighbors and to the international community that cooperation is necessary for a stable and economically prosperous region. While national political parties build “two schools under one roof” and that way separate people, LDS with its partners is building one united roof for the region which will be part of the roof of EU.'
