Bosnia and Herzegovina between Ethnopolitics and EU Integration

That the international community has helped BiH a great deal is beyond doubt. It has, however, not been able to resolve the structural problem in BiH: the ethnic policy has not yet been finally overcome and a whole series of policies which generate conflict, uncertainty and instability rests in place. This would be a precondition for building common institutions and only common institutions can solve accumulated political conflicts and political problems at both individual and collective levels and guarantee equal rights to the citizens of BiH. It seems to be hard to realise that the political elites in BiH remain in power thanks to the fact that they actually encourage insecurity, conflicts and instability. Instead of supporting the democratic forces and economic and constitutional reforms, the international community appears to have accepted the value system of the BiH political elites which is based on a matrix of ethno-national politics and generated by the Dayton Peace Agreement itself. How does the value system of the political elites relate to BiH and the EU? What stage of integration process has BiH achieved and what are the forthcoming prerequisites on its way to EU integration? What does this mean for the complete transformation of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) into the EU Special Representative (EUSR)? What are the competences and limitations of the future EUSR in BiH? Are they capable of developing the political and institutional frame for the implementation of the necessary reforms?

Speakers:
- Eldar Sarajlic, associate Social Research Institute, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Sarajevo and editor „Status“, Magazine for Political Culture and Social Affairs
- Sead Turcalo, teaching assistant Social Research Institute, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Sarajevo, Department for Peace and Security Studies
- Dženana Hodžic, Head of SAP Coordination Department, Strategy Division of the Directorate for European Integration Bosnian and Herzegovina, Sarajevo

Moderator:
Claude Weinber, Director EU Regional Office Heinrich Böll Foundation, Brussels