Latest News & Events
Art exibition
Academic Aquarelist Mirsada Baljic
Following the strong public response to the exhibition held in Atlanta by the Community of Bosniaks of Georgia in Lawrenceville, we are pleased to announce a new digital installment of the art exibition, now accessible online.
The exhibition will features works by world-renowned academic artist and aquarelist Mirsada Baljić from Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose masterful watercolors captivated audiences and inspired this expanded web presentation.
Important events
Max Primorac’s testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe framed instability in Bosnia and Herzegovina primarily through alleged Croat grievances and “Bosniak centralization,” while minimizing documented secessionist activity in Republika Srpska and the role of Russian and Serbian influence. His analysis advocated weakening international enforcement mechanisms, including the Office of the High Representative, and echoed long-standing Croatian nationalist partition narratives. As a result, the testimony appeared to prioritize Croatian domestic political interests over clearly articulated U.S. national security objectives in the Western Balkans. BECCNA has sent letters to Congress and Heritage foundation to protest Primorac HDZ party nationalistic divisive and destabilizing narrative
Luke Coffey’s testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee emphasized an America-first, security-focused approach to the Western Balkans, identifying Serb secessionism, Russian malign influence, and weak enforcement of the Dayton Peace Agreement as the primary drivers of instability. He argued for maintaining strong international oversight, including the Office of the High Representative, rejecting ethnic partition schemes, and anchoring Bosnia and Herzegovina firmly in the Euro-Atlantic framework as essential to U.S. and NATO interests. BECCNA has sent thank you letter to Mr Coffey
Edward P. Joseph’s testimony emphasized that instability in the Western Balkans is driven primarily by Serbia’s unresolved regional ambitions and the enabling role of Russia (and increasingly China), not by internal Bosnian governance alone. Drawing on decades of on-the-ground experience, he argued that ethnic partition and weakening Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions are historically proven failures, and that U.S. interests are best served by firm enforcement of the Dayton framework, sustained American engagement, and clear resistance to authoritarian influence. BECCNA has sent thank you letter to Mr Joseph
Ranking Member William Keating pressed the witnesses on how their policy recommendations would safeguard Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and avoid legitimizing secessionist behavior that could reignite conflict. He raised specific concerns about the coordinated lobbying campaign by figures such as General Michael Flynn, Laura Loomer, Rod Blagojevich, and Rudy Giuliani aimed at lifting U.S. sanctions on Milorad Dodik, questioning whose interests such efforts truly serve. Keating underscored that easing sanctions without behavioral change has emboldened Dodik’s destabilizing actions and risks advancing Russian objectives in the region.
Chairman Keith Self focused his questions and remarks on identifying a clear, results-oriented U.S. strategy for the Western Balkans, emphasizing American national interests, deterrence of adversaries, and accountability for destabilizing actors. He pressed witnesses to explain how their proposals would reduce Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influence, strengthen regional stability, and avoid repeating past policy failures driven by open-ended international engagement. Throughout the discussion, Chairman Self underscored that U.S. involvement should be strategic, disciplined, and security-focused, not ideological or driven by foreign domestic political agendas.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the hearing made clear that while witnesses differed in tone and emphasis, there was broad recognition that the principal sources of instability in the Western Balkans lie in secessionist politics led by Milorad Dodik and supported by Serbia, Russia, and increasingly China. In this context, Max Primorac’s testimony stood out negatively, as it advanced a Croatia-first narrative aligned with HDZ-linked nationalist interests rather than an America-first assessment of U.S. security priorities. His attempt to portray Bosniaks as a primary destabilizing factor gained little traction, as neither Members nor other witnesses engaged with or validated that framing. Instead, the discussion consistently returned to external malign influence, accountability, and deterrence as the core challenges. Overall, the hearing underscored that policies weakening Bosnia’s institutions or shifting blame away from real destabilizers do not align with U.S. interests and were implicitly rejected by the broader debate.