Field: The strongest domestic sanctions come on election day

Blog by British Ambassador to BiH Matthew Field

Working as the British Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) remains a fulfilling experience, full of challenges and frustrations, unlike any other in my professional career. The challenges and frustrations are there due to the constant turmoil the country faces, destabilizing activities and personal interests of a large number of leaders, and the failure to improve the quality of life of its citizens.

The current crisis, in which the BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik and the National Assembly of Republika Srpska are attempting to undo 26 years of progress, is a dangerous distraction from corruption. The use of hate speech and direct disregard for the country's legal order, the steps taken will destroy the security and prosperity of RS and other parts of BiH, denying citizens the brighter future they deserve.

I have been reflecting on what connects this situation with the many other problems citizens face, including deeply entrenched corruption, poor public services, and a chronic lack of investment, which goes much deeper than any single political party or government. I have spoken with a large number of people, from Trebinje to Bihać, from Livno to Brčko, and with people who have already left this country in search of better opportunities elsewhere. What would change the calculation for those determined to ensure the well-being of themselves and those around them, regardless of the cost or risk to others?

My conclusion, though not original, is that BiH has for too long been an environment of impunity. Individuals can choose to steal from public budgets, block reforms, glorify war criminals, manipulate elections, bribe, obstruct justice, threaten, undermine institutions, divide, without any personal negative consequences. Real consequences for bad deeds are rare and occur with long pauses in between. So why do the right thing?

Changing this calculation is, in my opinion, at the very core of creating a new direction for BiH and breaking the vicious cycle of crises. It may be the only chance to encourage more successful and capable people in this country to stay and succeed here. And that is the least we can do for those in BiH who work hard to provide a decent life for themselves and their children.

Consequences can be both external and internal. External ones include the use of sanctions and other restrictive measures against individuals taking such steps. The United Kingdom is already working on this, and the process is complex and legally demanding. Like other friends of this country, we are also reconsidering all our support programs to ensure that British taxpayers' money does not end up in the hands of individuals or institutions working to undermine the country's legal order. At the same time, we want – and must – protect innocent BiH citizens from any negative impact of these changes. And, as significant participants in the World Bank, IMF, and other international financial institutions, we will ensure that rigorous conditions are applied to any further support: it is better not to have an arrangement than to have one that indirectly strengthens negative agendas in BiH.

But domestic consequences are equally important. The rule of law is simply defined by the fact that no one is above the law. Those who break the law should be investigated and prosecuted, without prejudice or bias. BiH's judiciary has more than enough material to initiate these processes.

And the strongest domestic sanctions come on election day, an opportunity to remove from positions those who do not act in the best interest of their voters. Those in power often promote the idea that voting does not bring change, confident that patronage networks will secure votes for them, while simultaneously blocking improvements to the fairness of the electoral process. That is why it is so important to make progress in voting integrity – all of which has been detailed in OSCE reports for years. It is hardly surprising that those in power within the current system do not want these changes. The citizens of this country have the power to force their politicians to come up with a different vision. We will not allow anyone to prevent the vote from taking place in October this year.

The strength of the United Kingdom's support for Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens has been demonstrated many times in recent months – we cannot and will not allow 26 years of hard-won progress in BiH to be undone. The UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee will soon visit to assess how we can better support BiH's stability and success, as will the International Development Committee, which examines ways to prevent crimes globally. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss with them and their BiH counterparts how to stop impunity in this country.