20.5.02022

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dirt campaign

Even the nicest person can't live in peace if the bad neighbor doesn't want it. And this has probably always been the case. That's why I've gotten a very thick skin over the years and I'm thinking carefully about whether it makes sense or is even necessary to respond to a smear campaign.

Because on closer inspection, it is not at all effective to deal with one or the other person, and sometimes the initiator does not even mean you as the addressee of such a campaign — some sociopaths are simply not very picky when choosing “their victims”.

I had already written a corresponding blog post in this regard and titled it “the garbage disposal rule" overwritten.

Yesterday, however, I received an inquiry in which I promised, because I know the victim of the campaign myself, to ask him about it. Josip Juratovic MdB is currently having to deal with very unpleasant things, because he had taken a clear position on an issue that he knows very well from his own experience. Obviously, not all fellow citizens liked his statement and so the most impossible accusations are now circulating through social media.

And as I already thought Josip Juratovic is currently being covered with a genuine dirt campaign. For the simplest thing, I'll let Josip speak for himself.

“Of course, as always, I am still in favor of Bosnia-Herzegovina joining the EU. And the insinuation that I would be in favor of Putin's war of aggression I can only reject in the strongest possible terms. I stand firmly for Olaf Scholz's line, in which we are clearly on the side of Ukraine and making our contribution with arms deliveries and humanitarian aid.

It is true that I wanted to amend the motion on Bosnia-Herzegovina from the three traffic light groups. I don't believe in staging Izetbegovic as pro-European hope. In my view, we must support the democrats in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is therefore still necessary to name and fight nationalisms on all sides in the Western Balkans and to implement the long-promised path to membership of the European Union by actively supporting networks of democrats throughout the region.

I have made this clear and have therefore urged that the amendment be amended to require that all three nationalists be named. On the other hand, there is an organization that believes that Izetbegović is not a nationalist and that I would only support separatists who are pro-Putin.

As usual, each side in Bosnia and Herzegovina tries to discredit those who disagree with them. In this case, it hit me and I'm being made untenable allegations.

I will continue to work for a democratic Bosnia-Herzegovina in the future and will not let such untruths stop me!

I hope I was able to shed some light on this. If you have any further questions, please just get in touch.”
Josip Juratovic, email dated May 20, 2022

I also know a little bit about the Balkans and I wholeheartedly agree with Josip, because if there's one thing I've learned as a conflict participant in the Balkans, it's that there isn't a side that can boast of a clean slate. and Alija Izetbegovic is in my eyes no better than the others who were involved at the time. That's why I can Josip Juratovics motion and I very much regret it if the other MdB allow themselves to be heard from a single side.

Drizzle

Every few years I experience some rain in California, and since this morning a light drizzle. However, that doesn't stop me from continuing to use the jacuzzi extensively — I just turn the temperature up a bit.

The best thing about my time off, however, is that my stack of books is thinning out a bit, and I can really delve into those books that previously took me several tries.

And so I enjoy life to the best of my knowledge and belief and just let most of the ugly things drip off on me. Therefore, I ask for your understanding that I am currently not taking telephone calls.