ATTEMPT TO TURN CROATS FROM CONSTITUTIVE NATION INTO NATIONAL MINORITY

MOSTAR, JANUARY 8 /SRNA/ – Radical unitarist Bosniak politicians in BiH are not pleased with news of natural population growth among Croats, because it does not fit their concept of turning the Croatian people from a constitutive nation into a national minority, states a commentary by the Croatian Media Service.

Reminding of one protester in front of the OHR building in Sarajevo in autumn 2022, who angrily remarked, "What more do these Croats want, they're enough for two train cars," author Milan Šutalo points out that ever since, Bosniak politicians and media have made it a favorite topic to claim that the number of Croats is continuously shrinking, accompanied by a false concern about the "exodus" of the smallest constituent nation. Some claim that Croats make up only 12 percent of the population, others estimate just 10 percent, while those from radical unitarist Bosniak political and media circles present "realistic estimates" of only seven percent of Croats in BiH, the article states. "So, an editor of a Sarajevo portal knows that at night there are `fewer than 230,000 Croats in BiH`. The greater the Croatophobia of these `Sarajevo demographers,` the smaller the number of Croats in their minds," Šutalo observes. However, he adds, according to their "objective assessments," there are still more than two train cars' worth of Croats. Šutalo notes that it is interesting that these analysts of demographic trends never discuss the exodus of members of their own people, the "citizens," nor the statistical fact that cantons where their population is the majority record negative natural population growth. Sarajevo's "demographic experts" believe that the few Croats remaining in BiH live in western Herzegovina, where they were never historically a majority - specifically, in Široki Brijeg. "We suspect they are unaware that Croats are the majority in 23 cities and municipalities across the Federation of BiH /FBiH/, from Orašje to Neum, covering half of the entity’s territory. Not to mention other areas where they are the second-largest group in the Federation," the commentary notes. Of everything they claim, the article states, the only truth is that an exodus of Croats is indeed occurring - but in a direction they do not desire: from Germany, Austria, and other countries back to their Herzegovina and Bosnia. "There are countless such examples. Those who do not believe it should visit Herzegovinian cities and municipalities and witness the construction of new housing, the opening of kindergartens, and numerous successful private businesses," Šutalo said. He pointed out that the West Herzegovina Canton is the only canton in the FBiH that has recorded positive natural population growth for years, implementing measures that have contributed to young families returning and stable birth rates, news that unitarists do not welcome. "It does not fit their concept of turning Croats from a constitutive people into a national minority. To their regret. So do not be surprised at the continuation of this paradoxical trend, where, in the unitarist narrative, the number of Croats will continue to shrink, while in reality it grows," Šutalo said.