APWR Central

Of Elites And Establishments

 „In the history of archaeological explorations, not only in Bosnia or even Europe but in the entire world, a phenomenon of an exploration like this one has certainly never been previously recorded. Namely, here we do not speak of an elitistic project by several experts of a narrow research team, here we talk about an open project which started on completelly voluntary basis and, because of such honest approach, it united firstly the Bosnians and Herzegovinians around the world, and secondly a large number of other nations, people who want to participate in this project. The Foundation, which is the leader of these works, is a non-profit, non-governmental and non-political organization.“

Semir Osmanagic, in the Bosnian Federal Television series Search For The Pyramid, August 27 episode 

„ANCHOR: In your.. em.. books, you wrote about this pyramid of power.. on.. on the planet. Tell me now, here, this entire establishment, here, you call them the club, I would add the elitistic club, do you think they belong to one of those pyramids of power that you wrote about?

OSMANAGIC: Things that have been happening in the previous couple of thousands of years are not coincidental in any way. The permanent thing is the concentration of power and knowledge in practically the same hands. In the hands of the elite. And the way in which this elite functions to keep elitistic knowledge for itself, that is, to keep the majority from that knowledge. The majority is served what it needs to be served through media, through the education system, etcetera.“

Semir Osmanagic in radio-interview by Sarajevo-based Radio 202, June 16, commenting the letter warning the UNESCO about the Bosnian Pyramid Project, signed by international archaeologists, anthropologists, historians and geologists

Since the beginning, the creators of the Bosnian Pyramid Project have been presenting it with populist and proletarian rhetorics, calculated to appeal to the wider Bosnian-Herzegovinian population tired of the prevailing post-war corruption, poverty and increasing social differences. To appeal to the masses angry at corrupt political and intellectual elites in Bosnia-Herzegovina and to gain their approval and trust – and eventually their money – Mr. Semir Osmanagic has reached for a discourse well known from our communist period in the former Yugoslavia – intellectualism equals corruption and deceit, ignorant simplicity equals honor and honesty. The logo of the pyramid-believers is a showell accompanied with a paraphrasing of the former communist proletarian motto: Let’s digg to victory! Even the campaigns of volunteers’ digging the Visoko hills are reminiscent of the campaigns organized by the Yugoslav Communist Party after the world war II, only those campaigns – to be honest – were directed at useful things and social priorities: constructions of rail-roads, schools, hospitals, industry objects, etc. Therefore, it is not so surprising that Mr. Semir Osmanagic was, at some point during early summer this year, even compared to Josip Broz Tito by the local Visoko population.

Presenting himself as the man from the masses and of the masses, Mr. Semir Osmanagic has loudly and publicly attacked all opponents, primarily Bosnian-Herzegovinian experts, as Arm-Chair Elitists who live off the back of ordinary people. This Who’s Who will show that things are quite the other way around. We will see how the Bosnian Pyramid Project is, in fact, run by the state officials and people who belong to the (corrupt) Bosnian-Herzegovinian economic and political establishment. As the song says, meet the Flintstones.

Mahir Hadziahmetovic

But that is not all. Mr. Hadziahmetovic also happens to be the Vice-Chairman of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Communications Regulatory Agency. This Agency “is an independent State institution with sole jurisdiction over telecommunications and broadcasting across the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.“ So, imagine you are a journalist or an editor of a Bosnian media outlet and you want to make a really detailed report about the Visoko phenomenon, with all kinds of different opinions, and perhaps interview some of Osmanagic's opponents. But then you remember that next month you have to renew your broadcasting licence at the CRA.

Last but not least, Mr. Hadziahmetovic is the Acting Director of the Petrol BH Oil Company, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian subsidiary of the Slovenian PETROL oil company. Today’s, November 27, news update on the Foundation web site says: “The investment sector delegation of the PETROL company from Ljubljana, lead by director Matjaz Martincic, has arrived to Visoko.” Why not? After all – check the Foundation sponsors list – PETROL is one of them.

Elma Kovacevic

If you’re not impressed with Mr. Hadziahmetovic, then you will most certainly be impressed with Ms. Elma Kovacevic. She is the relentless and most dedicated leader of the Foundation’s committee for relations with international institutions. But just like Mr. Hadziahmetovic, she too happens to be working - surprise! - for the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Here is how it works. Today’s news from the Foundation web site (the Bosnian version), for example, carry the following news:

If you’re wondering what is Ms. Elma Kovacevic actually doing on this fair in Albania, here’s your answer: she is there with a delegation of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Actually, as the Chamber’s official, she organized the participation of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian companies in this fair (link opens a Word document in BCS). And of all those companies and projects, miraculously switching from the Chamber's into the Foundation representative, she is promoting the Pyramid Project to the Albanian Prime Minister.

One wonders whether these people know any more where the so-called “non-profit, non-governmental and non-political” Foundation stops and the Foreign Trade Chamber begins, and vice versa. One also wonders whether these people know that this kind of priviledged position abuse in some civilized countries constitutes a serious economic and political scandal.