The Irresistible Call of Power

Calendars have changed, but nothing else has. Therefore, how can one meaningfully think about politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina in January 2020 – and in Bosnia, everything is politics – when the mind falters in disbelief at the sheer rawness in the parliamentary seats and the brutality on social networks that render meaningless any thought that might resemble constructive and generally beneficial? What is there to say when, in an unimaginable multitude of pronouncements, not a single new word is loud enough to stand out from the cacophony, nor is any speaker capable of finding words – from a decent vocabulary – to call the arrogant, power-intoxicated, power-dazed... people's representatives to their senses?

What is there to write about when everything seems so thoroughly written that one could take any text from any of the past twenty-five years, change the date, and publish it as if it were just written?

“Bosnia is not a multi-ethnic country, but rather an association of ethnic feudalities in which nationalist parties maintain the status quo to protect their spoils and patronage networks. Bosnia and Herzegovina lacks effective central government, the Serb entity persistently threatens secession, Croatian nationalists increasingly demand a third entity, and Bosniaks in the middle are preoccupied with frustrations. Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik has threatened to torpedo numerous state-level reforms, including the formation of joint armed forces, a state court, and a police agency, while questioning other competencies transferred from the two entities to the state level. In this atmosphere of state paralysis, the Serb entity has continuously moved from autonomy towards sovereignty, and its leaders, with financial and political support from Moscow, have raised the prospects of separation and unification with Serbia.

This has enticed some Bosnian Croat politicians to demand a third entity and the division of the Bosniak-Croat Federation. Meanwhile, Bosniak Muslim leaders have warned of a new war, as they are committed to defending Bosnia's territorial and constitutional integrity,” stated prominent American analyst and Balkan expert Janusz Bugajski.

“...Maintaining territorial integrity and border inviolability remains crucial for the stability of the region. Any approach that involves border changes risks producing unintended consequences. Even the mere discussion of such a possibility by American officials is dangerous because it encourages those who promote secessionist agendas, such as Milorad Dodik and Republika Srpska. In this context, I want to remind this committee that throughout the region, the most significant cause of political instability is not ethnic tensions. A recent public opinion survey, conducted by the International Republican Institute, showed that more than 50 percent of citizens across all ethnic groups in BiH identify organized crime as the number one security threat, not members of other ethnic groups,” stated Johns Hopkins University professor Majda Ruge.

The “public image” of Bosnia and Herzegovina is extremely complex, both internally and externally. First and foremost, a fact that is difficult to dispute is that BiH, both as a country and as a state, is a hostage of ethno-nationalist political elites who gain power and maintain it through mutual fear-mongering. Since these are confirmed kleptocracies interested only in conquering, controlling, and disposing of the natural, economic, and other resources they have de facto controlled almost unhindered for a quarter of a century, it is clear that no change, either internal or external, suits these elites.

In other words, political relations at the internal level are characterized by the obscure and dysfunctional policy of “agreement of the peoples,” on which the Dayton Peace Agreement and all legal acts defined by it that regulate the functioning of government and governing institutions are based.

“Europe no longer has patience for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and this suits corrupt politicians in BiH the most. Bosnia and Herzegovina today, and for the past 25 years, is a country one does not enter due to its political situation, nationalism, corruption, lack of rule of law, and feudal economic system. Nationalism is poison for economic and all other development. BiH politicians have been consciously setting the country's people back for years, and unfortunately, these people vote for them because they are 'their own.' It is better to be 'one's own' and hungry than European and not only full but also prosperous. However, all who live in BiH choose their reality, and that reality is a reflection of those voters; therefore, 'Europe' is increasingly, if at all, interested in us because we remind them how small, marginalized, and trapped in our own vicious circle of provincialism we are.

To move from its current position, Bosnia and Herzegovina must move towards development, from light industry, through the IT sector, to forestry and agriculture, which requires a transparent economic policy with a regulated rule of law where it doesn't matter who your father or uncle is. Unfortunately, a country that receives 40 percent of its GDP from the diaspora, and from every 10 KM a worker earns, the same country takes 5.5, taxes everything that can and cannot be taxed, has no sectoral strengths, and exports its educated and quality, skilled workforce and professional staff only for proven party cadres to take their jobs... which will cost Bosnia and Herzegovina years of stagnation”...