Nijaz Duraković

Nijaz Duraković (1 January 1949 – 29 January 2012) was a Bosnian author, intellectual, professor and politician who served as the last president of the League of Communists of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1989 to 1991. He is widely considered to have been one of the most influential modern authors on sociopolitical issues in the region of his generation.

Duraković served as the Bosniak member of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina alongside Alija Izetbegović from 1993 to 1996, most of it during the Bosnian War. He was the founder and first president of the Social Democratic Party. He also served as member of the national House of Representatives from 2002 to 2007. Duraković died in January 2012 at the age of 63.

Political career
Duraković was born in Stolac, PR Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia on 1 January 1949 to Hakija and Ćamila. He completed his primary and secondary education there, and then his BA, MA, and PhD degrees in sociology at the University of Sarajevo. He served as the last president of the League of Communists of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 29 June 1989 until 24 February 1991, and as the first president of the Social Democratic Party from 27 December 1992 to 6 April 1997.

On 20 October 1993, Duraković became a member of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War, serving alongside Alija Izetbegović until 5 October 1996. In the 2002 general election, he was elected to the national House of Representatives, serving as its member until 11 January 2007.

Publications
Beyond politics, Duraković was widely recognized as one of the country's most prolific authors. His body of work includes 16 books and more than 200 scientific journals and articles which he wrote during his tenure as Senior Professor at the Faculty of Political Science in Sarajevo. Duraković's most prominent book is The Curse of Muslims (Prokletstvo Muslimana).

Death
Duraković died on 29 January 2012 in Sarajevo following a heart attack, at the age of 63.

His death was met with statements of sympathy and tribute from many individuals and organizations. Bosnian Presidency chairman Željko Komšić released a statement upon Duraković's death, describing him as a "great man" and a "successful politician and fighter for Bosnia and Herzegovina." Federal prime minister Nermin Nikšić stated "There will be a gap behind Duraković that will be difficult to fill. Generations that follow his example can learn how to love Bosnia and Herzegovina."