Appeal by German Research Libraries to BiH Politicians and Schmidt: Resolve Legal Status and Funding of NUL BiH As Soon As Possible

(Patria) - The ABDOS association, which brings together national libraries of German-speaking countries with a research focus on Eastern Europe, has appealed for the preservation of the National and University Library (NUL) of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In a statement, ABDOS stated that the extremely difficult situation that NUL BiH has been facing for decades has worsened further in recent months to such an extent that not only its basic functionality is jeopardized, but it is even facing closure.

Research libraries in the German-speaking area with a focus on Eastern Europe, as well as their most important working body ABDOS, are therefore deeply concerned, the statement said.

"The closure of NUL BiH would not only be a catastrophe for BiH's literary and library culture and a severe blow in the fight for the integrity of the state of BiH, but would also have far-reaching consequences for library activities and the study of Southeast Europe in the German-speaking area," the appeal states.

Recalling the history of NUL BiH, it is stated that it is one of the most important cultural institutions in the country and that it gained tragic fame in the first months of the war in BiH when it was deliberately shelled and burned from the positions of the Army of Republika Srpska, destroying between 80 and 90 percent of the then collection of 2.5 million library units.

"After the end of the war in 1995, it continued, like all seven cultural institutions of state importance, to perform its duties as before, although its legal status and funding method were never fully clearly defined and clarified.

Therefore, no ministry is responsible for NUL BiH, it is not included in the state budget, but is mainly financed through projects. In order to secure the necessary funds, the library is forced to apply every year, always with the uncertainty that these funds may not be approved, which is often the case," the appeal states.

It is also emphasized that the solution and way out of this completely unsustainable situation have been neglected for years and even blocked by politicians and other responsible actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such a situation, it is added, concerns not only BiH but also the international scientific community.

"Since this Balkan country is historically and socially closely connected with the entire area of the former Ottoman Empire and also with the German-speaking area, research on Southeast Europe at universities in the German-speaking area enjoys high prestige and attracts increasing interest - among other reasons because a considerable number of students and researchers are also related to Southeast Europe.

In the current circumstances, the supply of the scientific community with relevant information is significantly hampered: the procurement of literature from Bosnia and Herzegovina for libraries in the German-speaking area is limited.

The closure of NUL BiH, along with its ISBN and ISSN centers, would lead to significant fundamental research on Bosnian history - whether on the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian periods, the Ustasha regime during World War II, Yugoslav socialism, or the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina - no longer being publishable," the statement said.

The Association also notes that NUL BiH not only supports science through its work but also crucially supports civil society.

"It guarantees verified information and promotes a democratically led dialogue among different peoples, based on mutual respect - a dialogue that is ultimately a prerequisite for successful negotiations on accession to the European Union.

ABDOS appeals to all decision-makers, especially to Bosnian politicians and High Representative Christian Schmidt, to resolve the legal status and funding of the library as soon as possible, thus ensuring the survival of this respected institution," the statement from the ABDOS Management Board added.