Alija Izetbegovic Quotations

Our goal: the Islamization of Muslims. Our methods: to believe and to struggle.

Bosnia is a complicated country: three religions, three nations and those "others". Nationalism is strong in all three nations; in two of them there are a lot of racism, chauvinism, separatism; and now we are supposed to make a state out of that.

I believe that the people, instead of pretty lies, should be told the truth, no matter how ugly it may be. What can we do, destiny hasn't been kind to us; but, with the help of God, we will prevail.

We Bosniaks would for sure fight for integrity of Bosnia.

As far as the sovereignty of Bosnia-Hercegovina is concerned we agreed to have limited sovereignty for a limited time and that is clear from the Dayton Agreement.

All in all this is a difficult political struggle which will go on for years, in which our people won't die anymore; I'm not sure how much we will be able to win, but I'm certain that we won't loose anything that we have now.

In these negotiations we are not a helpless object, although great world powers are involved. We play an active role and try to influence our destiny; we have our own trump cards and we use them.

The international community is pushing things forward in Bosnia... but it is doing it at expense of the Muslim people. I feel it as an injustice, these are the things that I cannot live with.

My government is taking part in this agreement without any enthusiasm, but as someone taking a bitter yet useful potion or medication,

It affirms the implementation of democracy in the future of Bosnia-Herzegovina in areas where it does not exist today, ... We think this is an affirmation of Bosnia-Herzegovina's statehood.

spoke of the existence of 'extermination camps' in Bosnia.

Science attempts to figure out laws and then uses it later. While the work of art reflects the cosmic order without asking for an explanation

People complain that life is short,for me it seems very long.

In some socialist states well-performed work is rewarded with moral stimulants instead of material ones. However, the moral stimulants cannot be explained by materialistic philosophy. It is the same case with the appeals for humanism, justice, equality, freedom, human rights, and so forth, which are all of religious origin. Certainly, everybody has the right to live as he thinks best, including the right not to be consistent with his own pattern. Still, to understand the world correctly, it is important to know the true origin of meaning and of the ideas ruling the world.

When a man is ill,he has only one wish -to gain health,and when he does -then come a hundred wishes and he turns even unhappier than when he was lying sick in bed

In history, good intentions do not always make good consequences

I would sacrifice peace for a sovereign Bosnia-Herzegovina ... but for that peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina I would not sacrifice sovereignty.

The time of confrontation and conflicts should be replaced with a time of construction and prosperity.

The signing of this agreement is done in full sincerity on our part, ... will depend on us and what we want to achieve.

pushed Dayton forward, while they were obstructing it.

For 1,300 days of Sarajevo's drama, important people in the world who were supposed to act kept their eyes closed, ... But not you. You were not silent. Your voice was clear.

In our own religion, in our own country.

I have reminded him (Major) that there are some positive as well as some negative elements in the Dayton agreement and that lately, these negative elements are more and more prevailing. That is creating a fear among our people -- a fear that that might lead to the disintegration of the country.

I don't think there will be a second half, ... If there is one they (Serbs) will lose it. They could not win when they had all the power and now they cannot win at all.