Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Quest for Change

Tuzla, the third largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was the site of Mirsad’s first town hall meeting not that long ago, as he began the long and arduous task of canvassing the country to share his vision of change and to instill a message of hope in the hearts of those he met along the way.  He feels it appropriate to return to Tuzla on September 7th for a rally which will officially kick off his campaign, as well as those of all of the other candidates, who are competing for the three seats on the presidential council. Mirsad is very aware that the stakes are even higher now, as this 30 day window will provide his last opportunity to share his vision for the country he loves so dearly, before its citizens go to the polls on October 7th.  We talked about what lies ahead for him and his campaign during this final month before the election.

Mirsad and his campaign team have been canvassing the country since the beginning of June, estimating they have visited a minimum of 30 towns and cities as he shares his vision of change and hope at town hall meetings, colleges and universities, local businesses, the small quaint corner cafés and even the homes of some who have invited him to rest his feet, sit and share.  The days leading up to the official start of the presidential campaign on September 7th have been no different than many of the others, often times long and grueling as he tries to meet with as many citizens as possible in the 24 hours he is given to work with on a daily basis. The personal rewards are many as he sees the faces of those hearing his message for the first time light up as the energy of the moment ignites their vision of what really could be.  Mirsad spoke with me about his recent travels that included a face-off or debate as known in U.S. politics, more stops at town hall meetings, a memorable unplanned gathering, and yes his participation in a youth basketball tournament, literally risking life and limb for the sake of saying he did.

The long and sometimes grueling days continue for Mirsad and his campaign team as they canvass Bosnia and Herzegovina appearing at town hall meetings, speaking to industry leaders and their employees and making stops at local colleges and universities.  But despite a schedule that at times leaves little time for sleep Mirsad was able to participate in some key one-on-one meetings with business and political leaders.  They included an influential friend in the world of business and politics, the former foreign affairs minister of one of the major political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a professor from the University of  Vienna, an expert in foreign affairs, which is one of the key duties of the three person presidential council in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a fact finding meeting related to potential political alliances with some of the major parties and a strategy session with an expert in media campaigns.  Mirsad and I spoke about his campaign's media strategies moving forward, strategies in themselves that are quite challenging given the landscape and dynamics of media coverage or lack there of, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It has become a recurring theme.  The days start early and often times run into the early morning hours the following day as Mirsad and his campaign team continue to canvass the country, taking their message of change to town hall meetings where they meet with local citizens as well as schedule visits with local companies to better understand how they work, understand their issues with local, state and national governments and what can be done to improve their positions.  It is not uncommon during these visits for members of the local media to come out and interview him.  However this time something was markedly different.  Different, in a good way.

Lejla Hadzikadic Gusic, 41, is the eldest of Mirsad and Mirzeta’s two children.  She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband Said.  Lejla is a physician at the Levine Cancer Institute at Atrium Health specializing in Breast Surgical Oncology.  Her husband Said is a Cyber Security Engineer at Atrium Health.  They also have two young sons, Tarik and Isak.  Lejla and Said were of course at the family dinner back in November of 2017 when Mirsad announced his intention of running for president of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  For Lejla the news left her conflicted.  She was and remains totally supportive of what her father is trying to do in his native country, but is also extremely cautious about this new journey her father has embarked upon as it has fueled emotions that run high for her.  We sat down and spoke about her initial reaction to the news.

Family dinners are not uncommon and in fact are quite the norm for Mirsad and his wife Mirzeta and their two grown children, Lejla, and Adnan, and their spouses.  However a family dinner in late November of 2017 was far from the norm.  It was that night that Mirsad, who had already spoken with his wife, informed his children of his intent to run for president of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as he sought their input on this life changing decision not only for himself but his family as well. 

Son Adnan, 35, and his wife Melissa, reside in Charlotte, North Carolina.  He, a GBS Financial Manger for BSN North America at Essity and Melissa, a Sr. Project Manager at Compas Group.  Adnan and I had an opportunity to sit down and talk about that night and his initial reaction to his father’s announcement.

Mirzeta and Mirsad will celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary in December of 2018.   They have two grown children and two grandchildren who all reside in Charlotte, North Carolina.  To say the two of them have been through a lot over the years probably doesn’t adequately describe the inseparable bond they have shared.  A bond that is a true anchor for Mirsad as he navigates this new chapter in their lives, running for president of Bosnia and Herzegovina in his quest for change in his native homeland.  Mirzeta recently had a chance to visit with him in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  She spoke with me about the trip and shared her observations.

Mirsad learned this week that representatives from his campaign along with those of the other candidates will have a presence at select voting locations across Bosnia and Herzegovina on election day on October 7.  Their roles will be to oversee the voting process and the counting of the votes at the select locations.  On the surface it would appear this would be encouraging news for his campaign. But as Mirsad pointed out to me political corruption runs rampant in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to his amazement there is nothing clandestine about any of it.

Sarajevo is the largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina so Mirsad was very pleased when the opportunity arose recently to hold a town hall meeting there, his first in Sarajevo.  The setting was the historic Museum of Literature and Performing Arts in the heart of the city.  It is located in an old family house that was built in the middle of the 19th century, and is considered a cultural-historical monument, which is now owned by the state.  The interior and exterior designs of the home, including the gorgeous courtyard, offer a step back in time for any visitor.  As Mirsad describes it evening started with some unexpected developments.  Plans to hold the meeting in the beautiful courtyard had to be moved inside the museum do to heavy rains that day.  And traffic flow to the museum was blocked as veterans of the Bosnian War, some 20 years ago, were protesting in front of the parliament near the museum.  But despite these minor setbacks over 120 locals from all walks of life attended. People from public life, some politicians, actors and much to Mirsad’s delight, many many young people.  And unlike the other candidates, Mirsad not only takes time to speak about his vision for the country but also fields questions from the audience.  What was to have been a two hour town hall meeting ran for two hours and forty-five minutes.  It could have gone longer had Mirsad not stopped questions as some attendees had to leave. He took this as a great sign. Unlike in the United States, Mirsad can not ask people to vote for him until one month out from the October 7 election. So right now it is all about the message and urging people to cast their vote for whomever they choose.  He was very encouraged on that evening in Sarajevo as he truly believed the attendees did get his message.  He explained that the most important thing they can do right now is get energized and become activists as he needs their help to spread his message.  It was then home for the evening, get some much needed sleep, and hit the campaign trail once again the following morning.  We talked about the rigors of the daily schedule and the growing excitement within his campaign team as the election is now just two months away.

The pace has quickened for Mirsad as the presidential election in Bosnia and Herzegovina is only two months away.  There really is no such thing as a typical day other than they are long.  Depending on what part of the country Mirsad is canvassing and the towns or cities he might be visiting, the days can start at seven or eight in the morning and not end until well into the wee hours the following morning, leaving little time for sleep before hitting the campaign trail once again.  These appearances include town hall meetings, talks to IT industry professionals, addressing students and professors at area universities and informal meet and greets at local cafe’s throughout the country as he listens to the concerns of the local citizens and shares his vision for the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  I spoke with Mirsad during a short break from campaigning all day and getting ready for his first town hall meeting in Sarajevo that same evening.  Earlier in the day he was one of two keynote speakers at an IT technological and entrepreneurial related conference in Tuzla, the third largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, as he explains, you would never know it from the national media coverage of the event.  He took time to share with me the ongoing obstacles presented by the national media and the other hurdles he encounters across the country on a daily basis.