Interview | Semezdin Mehmedinović: Bosnia Lacks Positive Stories; Without Culture, There Is No State 07.07.2026

In an exclusive interview for Radiosarajevo.ba, writer Semezdin Mehmedinović promotes his new book "War Was a Buddhist Monastery," published by Mama & Booksa. The book is a selection of texts written over the last forty years, including those from the wartime period. Mehmedinović describes the war as a time of intense human solidarity and cultural vitality, contrasting it with today's apathy. The author emphasizes the importance of culture as society's last line of defense and speaks critically about the state's political inability to preserve its institutions, such as the Vijećnica. He explains that writing is a therapeutic act for him and announces a new book, "Tuzla Stenogram," created using technology due to his health problems. Mehmedinović emphasizes that culture, rather than politics, represents the foundation of true statehood and identity.














