"I am osmanlija"

(USASABAH)
Faruk Peker / Bosnia Hergezovina

Bosnia Herzegovina have been excluded from the EUFA organizations officially both in national, team and clubs level on April the 1st, because it is insisted on managing the Football Federating by 3 ethnic presidents as Bosniak, Croat and Serb.
Bosnian citizens are deeply disappointed with the incident and fed up with political elites who are incapable of reaching a mutual agreement even in the smallest disputes. In order to overcome this ethnocentric political ideology, three ethnic groups must agree on a mutual identity.
Just like once free Roman citizens said; "Civis Romanus Sum", or just like J.F. Kennedy said; "Ich bin ein Berliner" in West Berlin; during the Ottoman rule in Balkans, free Balkan citizens of Ottoman have said "Ben Osmanlı'yım" – I am Osmanlija -to imply they belong a great civilization. This phrase was repeated recently by a Serbian diplomat working at Serbian Embassy in Tripoli. In order to save lives of Serbian citizens in Libya, Serbian diplomat have called Turkish embassy and said "We as well are Ottomans, please evacuate our citizens too".
Balkans, once peaceful, naturally beautiful lands have suffered heavily from civil wars and conflicts upon the retreating of Ottoman, especially more than ever in late 20th century. Ethnic hatred among the Balkans residents - Bosniaks, Croatians and Serbians - caused loss of millions of lives and great suffrage. However, these three nations have by cooperating among each other, having tolerance for one the other, established friendly relationship and helped building one of the greatest civilizations of history.

Greatest generals, ministers, governors of Ottoman Civilization have been recruited from Balkans region. A 16th century Grand Vizier – highest statesman rank in Ottoman State – as well as de facto ruler for a 15 years' time Sokolovic Mehmed Pasha is accepted as the most successful statesman in Ottoman history comes from Bosnia – Herzegovina state and is celebrated as their own by Bosniaks, Croats and Serbians. Nevertheless Balkan heritage in Ottoman Empire goes far as to, Fatih Sultan Mehmed, whose mother was of Serbian ethnicity. Those stated are few of the excessive amounts of instances of Balkans contribution to the Ottoman Civilization. Thus it can be said that Ottoman culture and success belongs to Balkan nations as much as it belongs to the Turks.
Mentioning Balkan contribution in the Ottoman, it can be said that somehow these ethnic groups ruled in 3 continents – Africa, Asia and Europe – for about 600 years when they stopped fighting each other and acted together not only among themselves but as well as with other ethnic groups within the Ottoman. They have become once again an important power in Europe under Yugoslavia where they accomplished peace and development by cooperating.
However when we examine the Bosnia and Herzegovina example today, in where Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs live together once again, it is seen that, they are far away from Ottoman understanding of government, tolerance and cooperation. In Bosnia where Presidency of the state is represented by 3 equal members of 3 ethnics, it is almost impossible to pass a single law for each one of them have a right to veto. And They are very much eager to use this right in every opportunity I might add.
One of the latest results of this controversy is that government could have been formed as late as 5 months after the elections. Another tragicomic event occurred in Bosnia Herzegovina when neither of 3 ethnicities gave up on management of Football Federation of Bosnia Herzegovina, which resulted in exclusion of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the UEFA.
Once being part of huge states as the Ottoman and the Yugoslavia, Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs now cannot even cooperate nor control a four million populated Bosnia Herzegovina. Now it is up to them to decide either saying "I am Osmanlija" and cooperating, working together in order to recreate those glorious memories or keeping this stubborn attitude and be excluded from the International Arena.