Terzić: Brussels' fault for BiH's stagnation, they should have sanctioned BiH politicians

STRASBOURG, (Patria) - The European Commission today recommended that Macedonia and Albania begin accession negotiations with the European Union. Progress in these countries was assessed as promising, unlike the progress in BiH, which was left to prove its readiness to show its intention for accession through reforms.

"I think this is a good day for the Western Balkan region. We are quite determined in our enlargement policy, and it is a policy that does not end. The goal is to export stability, not to import instability. This should always be repeated," said European Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn at a press conference.

BiH still has a lot to do

The European Commission has previously criticized Bosnia and Herzegovina for not implementing the judgments of international courts, as the phenomenon of "two schools under one roof" still exists, and a particular problem is the inflammatory rhetoric used by BiH politicians.

The adoption of the Strategy for Combating Organized Crime was assessed positively, as was the removal of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the list of the Intergovernmental Financial Action Task Force.

All of this, however, was not enough for Bosnia and Herzegovina to follow the path of Albania and Macedonia.

Journalist and political analyst Almir Terzić told Patria that the opening of negotiations between the European Union with Macedonia and Albania clearly shows that due to the incompetence of the authorities in BiH - both current and previous ones - the country is certainly becoming an isolated island in Europe. He said that BiH is the only country on the European continent that prefers to become an EU member but still does not have candidate status for EU membership.

"Domestic politicians have done immense injustice to the citizens of this country," said Terzić.

He points out that BiH faces a arduous process to catch up with the countries in the region that have, as he said, significantly advanced on the path to EU accession, and that without serious and substantial reforms, BiH will not easily catch up.

"BiH cannot talk about EU membership if it violates the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, in terms of unequal treatment of its own citizens," says Terzić, adding that it is absurd to talk about the EU path of Bosnia and Herzegovina if there are facts that indicate that crime and corruption are dominant in the country.

"All those politicians who, during this election campaign, talk about how they will bring the citizens of BiH into the EU are clearly deceiving them from the very start, and are only working for the interests of their parties," Terzić believes.

Brussels' fault

When asked about the extent of the European Union's own fault regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina's stagnation on the EU path, Terzić believes that the problem can also be viewed from that perspective. He says that the authorities in Brussels should have had the courage to adequately sanction those politicians in BiH who violate the country's constitutional provisions, as well as the judgments of the highest institutions, not only in BiH but also in Europe, including the European Court of Human Rights.

"If the European Union had imposed sanctions on BiH politicians in a timely manner, we could now be talking about an unblocked EU path for Bosnia and Herzegovina," Terzić believes.

"Due to the lenient policy of Brussels and Strasbourg, we will still be hostages of the leaders of political parties and their group or individual interests, and we will not have concrete results," concludes Terzić, adding that he expects politicians in BiH to continue to fulfill only the bare minimum required of them in order to secure funds for their existence through loan arrangements.