Rusmir Mahmutćehajić Author

Rusmir Mahmutćehajić is one of Bosnia's leading public intellectuals. A dissident during the Communist years, he was elected Vice President of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Government in 1991, serving under Alija Izetbegovic and holding the post of Minister of Energy, Mining, and Industry. He played a critical role in attempts to gain international recognition for Bosnia-Herzegovina but resigned from all government functions at the end of 1993, in protest against the acceptance by the greater part of the political establishment that Bosnia should be divided into ethnic parts.

Since then he initiated the founding of the International Forum 'Bosnia' a non-government organization that brings together the leading intellectuals of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the effort to create and strengthen a civil society founded on dialogue and trust, human rights and the rule of law.