The Trojka and Border Control: What the Law Means for Bosnia and Herzegovina?

By: Enes Peštek, delegate in the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament

Bosnia and Herzegovina is once again faced with a "new" law, which is, unfortunately, another in a series of those that raise serious questions about its legal and political system. The latest subject of discussion is the Law on Border Control, which has become the latest "Trojka law" in the country.

This law is not just a dry legal act, but a real test for the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Namely, according to it, the entity flag is placed at the country's border crossings first, and only then the state flag, and not just anywhere, but at the point of entry into Bosnia and Herzegovina - at its borders.

A law that can be called "by the law" is not a law that affirms the sovereignty of this country, but a law that divides. It is simply unbelievable that the Trojka, as those currently in power in BiH, gave legitimacy to this law through the parliamentary procedure.

This practice is not just a matter of border control, it is a symptom of a much deeper problem - in the country we live in, everything is divided, even when it should be united. Even in those moments when the state should be a symbol of unity, we see how politics is used daily to manipulate symbols, values, and laws that should be a guarantee for all citizens.

And "by the law" - what is actually the law? Is the law just a formality that will be applied in a way that suits a certain political current? Or is the law what provides equality, justice, and obliges all of us to respect the foundations on which Bosnia and Herzegovina stands?

The issue of border control and flag placement is not just a technical matter, it is a matter of symbolism and power, a matter of the clear message we are sending. It is possible that these laws are necessary for us to maintain the illusion of balance between the entities, but why then can't there be laws that unite, not divide? Why must we constantly repeat the dogmas of division instead of creating a society focused on a common future?

Bosnia and Herzegovina is not just a collection of entities and borders, it is a country with a rich history of sultans and kings, diverse peoples, and much potential.

We, the people who live here, have the right to see Bosnia as a state that offers all its resources, all its people, and all its symbols - without divisions. In its injustice, where everything is "by the law," all of us, as its citizens, have lost a lot.

We remember the words of our former Prime Minister Nedžad Branković, who spoke about the suspicious legalization and acquisition of apartments in the heart of Sarajevo, saying that many things in Bosnia and Herzegovina are just "by the law," but that this legality is just a cover for corruption and unfair distribution. And today, faced with new laws, we remain in the same place. The law is just a cover if it is not in the service of all of us, all the peoples and citizens of this country.

Thus, we ask the question: how long will we wait for all our problems to be solved "by the law"? How long will we ignore the fundamental values of the state? And most importantly - how long will Bosnia and Herzegovina be reduced to political divisions that only deepen our mistrust and separation?

The Law on Border Control, regardless of its legal basis, is nothing more than a message that today's laws and flags do not reflect the will of the majority of people who love it.