Columnists of the ‘Second Program’, an action media initiative of the Interview.ba website, have sent a New Year’s greetings – an appeal to high officials and representatives of the international community in BiH
People in Bosnia and Herzegovina are once again living in fear of conflict. However, the alarm has not yet been activated. Why?
Domestic politicians have led this country on a path of ruin since they took over the reins, decades ago. Fiery rhetoric attempts to undermine the Dayton Peace Accords and threats to block the upcoming 2022 elections are on the scene, once more.
The international community, especially the EU and the US, have clearly learned nothing from the past. They are trying to reach consensus and peace with instigators of war, and we all know how it ends.
The key negative direction in this regard is recognized through the constant efforts of the international community to preserve the so-called status quo in the political and institutional reality of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Including political actors and groups that have been creating this reality in an agreed and coordinated manner for three decades now. This and such a status quo is in fact a disastrous freezing of all programmatic efforts to collapse and finally abolish the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Insisting on negotiations exclusively with the three national leaders, in addition to suspending the legitimacy of such actions, encourages criminal association. In these circumstances, the parties represented by Izetbegović, Dodik and Čović became criminal organizations.
They occupied space, deprived the courts of the possibility of acting against them: thus, an atmosphere of prolongation of hostilities was created in peace. At least two of these three ‘parties’ directly support war criminals, and all three are deeply involved in corrupt practices that are a direct product of war operations.
Yes, the well-being of Bosnia and Herzegovina is first and foremost the responsibility of national political institutions as well as us citizens. By constantly calling on the international community to solve our problems, we are belittling ourselves because we have chosen these people and we have kept them in power for so many years.
But the international community, especially the EU, also bears some of the responsibility. International mediators are persistently trying to treat the leaders of national parties – and in fact the bearers of nationalist, separatist and generally destructive projects in BiH – as ‘legitimate representatives of the people in BiH’ in the search for ‘agreement and consensus of political ’leaders in BiH’. It is one thing when politicians declare themselves national leaders, and it is quite different when world powers give them that legitimacy, negotiating with them on the most important reforms. The SDA, HDZ BiH and SNSD together won 25% of the vote in the last elections. Can they represent all three nations?
The constant stream of special representatives flowing into Bosnia and Herzegovina these days is not comforting. This seems more like an attempt, especially by the EU, the US, the UK and France, to camouflage the last 15 years spent in cooperation, and even friendship, with the same political leaders and their ethnonationalist structures that caused this latest crisis.
Voters in BiH must understand that their national leaders are leading them to ruin, and they cannot understand that while foreigners are solving all the major problems of the ruling coalition, giving them money to cover debts made by incompetent state leadership, incalculable corruption and by giving corrupt politicians importance with all these constant negotiations.
This situation is also dangerous for the people living in Europe, because it threatens the stability and peace of the whole region.
A solution to today’s crisis is not something that can be achieved overnight. But it can start right away with:
- Restoring the functioning of the state within the institutions, with elected representatives in a transparent process. In this context, adopt all necessary measures to ensure that the next, democratic elections are organized, held and summarized under unquestionable, absolute organizational and technical control;
- Ensure, in the context of defined 14 reform conditions on BiH’s path to the EU, absolute priority for full and strict judicial reform at all levels. The realization of this process, in itself, will open the door to a radical fight against crime and corruption in the state and society, but also to create basic preconditions for restoring confidence in institutionalism and reaffirming social criteria and values on the road to the EU;
- Clearly name and sanction those responsible for the crisis;
- Individuals and groups unwilling to reach an agreement, obviously for corrupt reasons and the need to preserve the status quo at all costs, must be removed from the path of solutions to current institutional and social dramas in BiH in existing and legal ways;
- Invite civil society organizations and citizens to participate in negotiations and debates, insisting on the search for solutions.
Second Program, Media Action Initiative
www.interview.ba
