Bosnien-Herzegowina: Kein Licht am Ende des Tunnels

• Published in: Südosteuropa-Mitteilungen no. 1; pp. 42 - 59
• Main Author: Rolofs, Oliver Joachim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Southeast Europe Association 2010; Südosteuropa Gesellschaft e.V
• Subjects: Politics / Political Sciences
• ISSN: 0340-174X

For more than three years, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political situation has been deteriorating. Fears have re-surfaced that the state may violently collapse because Republika Srpska’s Prime Minister Milorad Dodik is challenging the EU and the international community by violating the Dayton Agreement. His aggressive splitting-up policy jeopardizes the integrity of the Federal State which is in urgent need of reforms for a deeper Euro-Atlantic integration. The international community – for years now without a strategy for the Balkans – has responded irresolutely to the current situation and primarily pursues its own exit-strategy from Bosnia- Herzegovina after the achievement of the necessary reform requirements. But Bosnia’s politicians have long shown little willingness to expend political capital to meet EU and NATO standards, although the EU took the view that the pull-effect of possible Union membership would prove strong enough to maintain momentum for reform in Bosnia. The article examines the main domestic conflicts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, traces the attempts and failures of the international community and the EU in solving the political problems of a divided state. Furthermore it shows that a long-term common strategy must be developed immediately and demonstrated as a catalyst for peace and stability in Bosnia and the whole Balkans. Therefore, the international community should remain in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the region for the next decade.