Bosnia-Herzogovina: Political crisis threatens to jeopardize EU accession!

Bosnia-Herzogovina: Political crisis threatens to jeopardize EU accession!

Sarajevo, Bosnien und Herzegowina - The political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina has dramatically intensified in the past few months. According to Kosmo , the political standstill in Sarajevo is still unresolved. The various parties cannot agree on the laws required for the EU accession negotiations. A central obstacle is the controversial electoral law, which makes a reform urgently necessary to meet the basic requirements for membership in the EU.

Elmedin Konakovic, Foreign Minister and Chairman of the "People and Justice" party, demands international intervention, since the time for legislative reforms is scarce and there is no way out. At the same time, the high representative Christian Schmidt is cautious because it does not want to endanger the stability in the region. The contradiction in the voting behavior in parliament, with Bosniak Minister for European Laws, while their party colleagues refuse to do so in the House of the peoples, illustrates political fragmentation.

inner conflicts and ethnic tensions

In addition to the political arguments, Milorad Dodik, the President of the Republica Srpska, is increasing ethnic tensions and driving on secession efforts. At the end of June 2023, the Republika Srpska passed laws that are a serious violation of the Dayton peace agreement. The Parliament of the RS decided not to recognize the decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina, which leads to a strong conflict with the government. These developments are assessed by SWP Berlin as extremely problematic.

The path to stability is further difficult by dodik's efforts to bring about reunification with Serbia. These demands are directly contrast to the goals of the EU that Bosnia has accepted as a candidate for accession. Several EU countries, including Austria, are pushing for progress in the accession process, especially with regard to the rule of law and the fight against corruption.

The perspective on EU accession

Despite the serious domestic problems, the EU has decided to accept access negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina. This was reported by ZDF and gives the country the opportunity to finally make progress in the desired direction. Bosnia has been an official candidate since 2022, but it remains unclear how long the path could take to actual membership.

The first accession conference is organized as soon as Bosnia has met the necessary reform requirements. These essentially include a comprehensive reform of the electoral law as well as measures against corruption and organized crimes. The situation in Bosnia is complex and requires a sustainable solution to promote both political stability and the European integration process.

In the current crisis, the political structure of Bosnia remains characterized by a wide range of conflicts that could not only destabilize domestic politics, but also regional relationships, an agreement should be made. The international community is required to preserve peace and stability in this sensitive region.