Alarming Rise of Euroscepticism in Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Patria) - The latest Eurobarometer survey on citizens' trust in the Western Balkans towards the EU shows an alarming trend for BiH, where less than half of respondents (48%) believe that EU membership would be a good thing.

Disappointing data are noticeable only among citizens of Serbia (35%), unlike in Albania where 84% of respondents consider membership a good thing, as do 66% of Montenegrins. The survey also indicates that 56% of BiH citizens mostly trust the EU, while 40% mostly do not trust it. It will be interesting to see the next annual survey, which will be published in June by the Directorate for European Integration, announced the BiH Centre for Security Studies!

Last year's survey on support for joining was at around 70% so, despite a somewhat different methodology, it will be useful to compare trends and data for the past year.

To what extent the mood of citizens is also influenced by the positions of EU officials, such as this week's meeting of the heads of diplomacy of the member countries of the Friends of the Western Balkans group, who persistently repeat that the enlargement process, despite geopolitically turbulent times, must continue, but with the fulfilment of criteria. Such rhetoric has been repeated since 2003 and the Thessaloniki Summit, which probably contributes, among other things, to the rise of euroscepticism in certain countries.

For the authorities in BiH, which are the only ones in the region that have not managed to secure benefits for citizens through accession to the SEPA system and lower costs in payment transactions with abroad, it is recommended that in complex political circumstances they at least have the possibilities to use European funds and implement reforms. The low percentage of withdrawal of available IPA III funds in BiH, not to mention the loss of funds from the enthusiastically announced Growth Plan, indicates that the authorities do not utilise even those opportunities that the integration process benevolently provides them.

The EU integration process should represent a comprehensive positive transformation of our society and improve the quality of life of all citizens. The decline in trust in these processes, as shown by the Eurobarometer survey in question, seriously warns all political elites that they must not lose that common thread and vision of the future for BiH. EU officials, who share responsibility for the fate of BiH, should also be aware of this and, accordingly, provide greater support through mediation and enabling access to certain common structures before formal full membership.