Politicians are often subject to criticism, ridicule, and even hate speech because of their profession. People seem to forget that they, with all their weaknesses and virtues, are living beings like each of us. That is why today we will tell the story of Sasa Bogdanovic, and I hope you will read it without bias because of his mayoral position.

Sasa Bogdanovic was born in Postojna, Slovenia, where he lived until 1991, namely until the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, because his parents worked in the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA). He spends the first six years in the place Vipava, a small town in Slovenia, as he says, in a happy and peaceful environment, where, above all, all the children who lived there socialized, and adds:

- My first childhood memory is that my father always made sure that everything in the home was settled, that we did not miss anything, be it for eating or drinking. And I, as a very small child, regularly took two or three bottles of beer and broke them, because the process of creating foam during the breaking was very interesting to me (laughs). Once my father counted the beers, he realized that he was missing a few and he wondered why a child of two or three years old needed to "steal" beers. After I explained to him what it was about, afterwards he himself allowed me to break some beer from time to time. We had a happy and carefree childhood. We were very free, then we did not go to kindergarten, but unfortunately, with the start of the wars in the former Yugoslavia, we returned to Macedonia, where my family comes from and then I started a new childhood life with friends from Kapishtec, with whom to this day I'm hanging out today.

Sasha says that the most interesting period of his childhood are the days of primary school, because then they were the most free, they had the most time and could play their favorite neighborhood games for a long time. The saddest period of Sasha's childhood is 2001, during the war, when he could not see his father at home for almost a year because he was engaged during that period. The happiest day for him is when he graduated, because then he felt like an adult for the first time.

Which period, event or perhaps childhood advice most influenced you to build into the person you are today?

- Here I would single out the period when I was in high school, because from the age of 15-16 I already worked, whether in cafeterias or other places, where I started earning money for pocket money. Then I started to get more serious, so since it was fashionable, I also smoked cigarettes. At that time, all men and women, in order to become "guys", we knew how to light a cigarette. I was even happier that I could afford it all with the money I earned myself.

What kind of teenager were you? Did you have any problems? Did you "forget" your parents with some actions?

- I was the one who always balances in the company. I had friends who were too "calm", I also had friends who were "angry" again, and I was always in the middle and that was the hardest part of my friendship, because whenever a problem arose, I was the one who was always in the middle the thicker end crackled (laughs). We had problematic situations, especially when we went to basketball games, with friends I still hang out with to this day, we used to shout and sometimes swear, to move with a pen or a lighter in the stands or outside them. As time went on, we realized that this was not the point. It is okay to shout and cheer, but it should always end with a sporting acknowledgment of defeat and congratulations on the victory, in no other way. I also knew how to "forget" my parents sometimes. We have had several such "emergencies". One was in 2001, when without anyone knowing, I went to Tetovo to look for my cousin in the places where the military conflict was taking place, then after they sent me home, they scolded me. And later I went again to look for my father in Aracinovo and Radusa (laughs). Luckily I passed alive and well. There have been other situations where we have known to do some ill-considered actions.

Sasa Bogdanovic has been competing since he was 9 years old, because, as he says, at that time it was a fashion trend in the Balkans, but also in Europe.

- I started going with my neighborhood friends and the friends from Centar and Karposh and we slowly formed a fan subgroup of Rabotnicki. When you become a passionate fan, a regular part of the group, to prove yourself you have to be quite active. We had the whole neighborhood and the whole Municipality of Centar streaked with graffiti, slogans and everything that a fan needs to have. I was the one in charge of pyrotechnics and I became famous for that. I always tried to make a good choreography and a good "bakliada", all in order to have more energy while watching a certain match. Through cheering and the fan group, I learned what it is to love something from the heart and to do it, but also to share it with everyone else around you. Through cheering and going to matches I realized the difference between good and bad, that is, to be part of something that fights in every possible way, what every true fan does, and that is through support and activities to contribute to something that is common good. It taught me how to function in life. After some time, by gaining my circle of friends and by proving myself in certain matters, I got a job in a private company, normally remained faithful and consistent and continued to attend the matches of KK "Rabotnicki", tells our interlocutor.

At the age of 28, when he became the director of the PE "Parking lots of the Municipality of Centar", he did not stop going to competitions, but withdrew from the stands, so as not to give any political connotation to his comrades and the tribune itself. Then he became part of the management of the club, to which, while he was a fan, he gave both support and criticism.

- Now I was part of the same management and then I had to contribute much more to "Rabotnicki", so you do not have to be a fan and part of the management at the same time, but we remained in excellent relations with all my friends who to this day today they are in the stands. After directing in the PE "POC", the option was created to take over the Municipality of Centar, by gaining even greater responsibility in my functioning, but also even greater responsibility in my contribution to KK "Rabotnicki".

Even though you are a member of a certain party ideology, what is the limit that you think no politician should cross?

- Yes, I am a member, at the age of 18 I became part of SDSM. As for politics, it is a matter of life, people should always adapt, circumstances change, but no politician must cross himself. Because then the whole essence of what you got into a story changes, whether it was political or any other. Man should remain what he is. If he changes in that part, due to a certain function or position, then he has lost himself.

Given your job position, would you like to share the most unpleasant experience as a mayor, which made you "give up everything"?

- I have not yet reached such a situation to say that I give up everything. Normally, there were difficult moments, there were moments when you simply wondered if something should continue or something should be considered, to give up something. Specifically, for me, there was an incident where after a few months of my appointment as mayor, in addition to clearing all due debts, we received a court ruling ordering 1.5 million euros to be collected from the municipal account, which brought the functioning of the entire municipality in question. But, after a few days, we collected some funds that were owed to us and slowly, we started to get out of that financial "hole". It was one of the most difficult moments of my career because I had to pay for something that someone else did wrong. However, that damage was compensated, and after a few months with the ruling of the Supreme Court, we managed to return the funds that were collected and used them for the planned projects, which we postponed for a few months.

I guess your job is pretty stressful, you are young, and yet you carry a lot of responsibility. What is your "exhaust valve"? Do you have a hobby, do you even have time for yourself and your loved ones?

- I used to have more time for hobbies, normally, to go out with friends… now the "exhaust valve" is normal, with the closest family, wife, parents, the closest circle of friends. The time for "blowing up" is usually a sports match, we will go, we will shout, we will empty the negative energy of ourselves. We go to the mountains, to visit some places that have some spiritual weight, spiritual significance. I want places where you can find yourself, but also to spend some of your energy, at the same time finding some humility. I use the free time I have for cycling with my wife, we go horseback riding, we often visit the Macedonian mountains and climb their peaks.

What do you miss most about the life our generation has lived? What do you regret that your children will not see and experience?

- In my opinion, the passion for going to competitions has decreased. It was something that the men in our, my generations lived for. We lived for derbies, we lived for hanging out in the neighborhood and sitting on a bench, we lived for playing "service", we lived for all kinds of games, unlike today's generations, which are mostly concentrated on mobile phones. I hope that as they grow older, they will realize that it is not just the screen, the computer, or the tablet that needs to complement us, and I hope that with some activity, some of the habits can be restored.