Zornić at Krug 99: The West's Geopolitical Games, Where Outcome Matters More Than People, Could Be Catastrophic for Us

(Patria) - Azra Zornić, an applicant before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, was one of the keynote speakers today at the regular session of the Association of Independent Intellectuals Krug 99 on the topic "The US and Europe are at odds over BiH - but where is the voice of citizens?"

Zornić believes that state property of Bosnia and Herzegovina remains one of the most difficult political issues. Although the Constitutional Court has clearly stated that the state of BiH is the titular owner of that property, the entities and other levels of government continue to use it.

And that, she emphasizes, they can only do under a law that must be adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH and which should clearly state what belongs to whom and what can be done with that property, as well as how entities and other levels of government can dispose of and use it.

And all of this exclusively based on a law that clearly delineates what belongs to whom, what is ownership, what is possession, use, and what is disposal.

- While we struggle with internal reforms, external factors are clashing. The PIC session failed because France, Germany, and the United Kingdom rejected the American proposal for Antonio Zanardi Landi to become the head of the OHR.

The US Embassy stated that European indecisiveness and abandonment of duties towards BiH are forcing Washington to reconsider its role here.

The rift between Washington and Brussels is becoming increasingly evident, and their conflicts over the future of the OHR are once again, to our detriment, being played out on the backs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We are now calling on foreigners to reach an agreement and abandon maximalist positions. They behave as if we are the political future of Europe and the West, but the truth is that everything that has happened to us is now happening to them - Zornić states.

Unfortunately, she adds, this is not at all encouraging because ultimately it is about us - we are becoming just a sandbox where they test their strength and measure their influence.

- The United States sees Bosnia as a key point for curbing foreign interests such as those from Russia and China, so they insist on a strong OHR that will, in their logic, "take matters into its own hands" and stop the state's decline, without caring too much about formal sovereignty.

On the other hand, Europe is making its own calculations, fearing that too strong an action might provoke open conflict and instability on its borders, so it prefers diplomatic compromises and a "softer" approach, even if it means the process essentially freezes - says Zornić.

She assesses that these geopolitical games of the West, where the outcome matters more than the people, could be catastrophic for us.

- Bosnia and Herzegovina is becoming the point where this rift between the US and Europe is publicly manifested. It is particularly concerning that the United Kingdom, once a strong part of the Anglo-American bloc in BiH, has now sided with the European Union countries, especially Germany and France.

With this, London has chosen European solidarity and its positioning within the bloc over the traditional alliance with Washington, and we are left caught in the crossfire - Zornić warns.

She also commented on the recent protests organized by Krug 99 in front of the OHR building in Sarajevo, stating that the lack of a massive turnout at that gathering directly reflects deep social apathy and a complete loss of trust in institutions, where citizens believe any attempt at change is pointless.

- This state of social exhaustion and struggle for survival has forced people to lower their criteria to a minimum - to the principle of "just don't let it explode" - accepting injustice and corruption as inevitable.

Instead of rebellion, society only reacts with short-lived anger on social media, while silence becomes complicity.

Nevertheless, even with a small physical presence, the media managed to convey messages of frustration to the international community, but it remains uncertain whether high officials will prioritize justice and the needs of the people or their own geopolitical interests.

In the end, we are left with one cold truth: there is no geopolitical savior who will descend from the heavens to sit on a throne and fix our society. While the West counts its points, we pay the price with our daily lives.

If we do not wake up from this lethargy and recognize that they are here primarily for their own interests, not for us, we risk becoming forever just statistics in someone else's reports.

Our voice must break through the barriers of apathy, not because embassies demand it, but because we have no one left to complain to except ourselves. It is time to finally choose whether we will be subjects in our own house or passive observers of our own downfall - Zornić added.