SARAJEVO, Feb 27 (Hina) - Two of Bosnia's strongest social democratic parties on Saturday merged into one organisation called the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia-Herzegovina (SDP BH). The unification took place at a congress held in
Sarajevo, where delegates unanimously elected Zlatko Lagumdzija as president of the SDP BH, Tuzla Mayor Selim Beslagic as chairman of the party's Main Committee, and Karlo Filipovic as the party's secretary general. Prior to the unification congress, two separate ones were also held, that of the Social Democratic Party and that of the Social Democrats of B-H, at which members of both parties confirmed the two parties' willingness to merge into one. "As of today, BH has only one Social Democratic Party, ready to oppose nationalistic divisions and impoverishment on BH territory," Lagumdzija said in his closing speech. He added Bosnia would have an open do
SARAJEVO, Feb 27 (Hina) - Two of Bosnia's strongest social
democratic parties on Saturday merged into one organisation called
the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia-Herzegovina (SDP BH).
The unification took place at a congress held in Sarajevo, where
delegates unanimously elected Zlatko Lagumdzija as president of
the SDP BH, Tuzla Mayor Selim Beslagic as chairman of the party's
Main Committee, and Karlo Filipovic as the party's secretary
general.
Prior to the unification congress, two separate ones were also
held, that of the Social Democratic Party and that of the Social
Democrats of B-H, at which members of both parties confirmed the two
parties' willingness to merge into one.
"As of today, BH has only one Social Democratic Party, ready to
oppose nationalistic divisions and impoverishment on BH
territory," Lagumdzija said in his closing speech.
He added Bosnia would have an open door to European integration
through membership in the Socialist International, a world-wide
organisation of social, social democratic, and labour parties.
Europe is where Bosnia belongs, Lagumdzija said, "because it will
be a democratic country."
He accused Bosnia's ruling structures of incapability in dealing
with corruption, crime, failed privatisation, and economic
transition, stating they offered the common man stories about the
division of Bosnia.
Lagumdzija also called for an urgent change of the electoral
legislation, assessing a temporary electoral law only reflected
and furthered ethnic divisions.
Today's unification congress was attended by guests from some dozen
countries with similarly oriented parties.
German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told Bosnia's social democrats
to get ready for governing in case voters give them their trust.
Socialist International's president and secretary general, Pierre
Moroaux and Louis Ayala, also in attendance, said they believed SDP
BH would win the voters' trust at the next elections.
Moroaux promised the SDP BH would become a full right Socialist
International member very soon.
(hina) ha