Representatives throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) these days solemnly swear to protect the interests of the citizens and promise that it will be better, in the party headquarters gray cells are melting over names, hand numbers, the distribution of forces in the House of Peoples, offensive strategies and blockades of vital national interests are planned in advance.
The post-election era has always been marked by political matches, chases for potential defectors, burying hatchets, and the flare-up of new conflicts. However, the problem is that already passive institutions are drowning in the environment of a frozen state and waiting for the final outcome of the inter-party competition, and BiH has no time to wait.
New authorities, and we with them, will dawn on January 1st, 2023 in a country squeezed between Schengen in the west and, whatever it is, the ”Open Balkans” in the east. By entering the Schengen zone, Croatia introduces more rigorous control measures on the border with BiH, which becomes the eastern border of Europe.
This will put an additional burden on the only two border crossings accredited for international transport, and with the fact that almost two-thirds of BiH’s exports go through Croatia to the European Union (EU) market, it is not difficult to guess what kind of problems domestic businessmen can expect. At the same time, citizens of BiH will be required to apply for entry into Croatia.
So far, there are no signs of concern or information that the procedures are being eased or that additional border crossings are being made, just as there is no reaction to the announcements that BiH will receive candidate status for EU membership by the end of the year.
It seems that this sudden gift and strong lobbying by representatives of friendly countries is the only way for BiH to try to take a quick step toward Europe. However, along with the willingness to make such a decision, there are also warnings that we need to respond to the extended hand in the same way, Avaz writes.
E.Dz.
