”The principle of legitimate representation must be rejected, ” it was mentioned in the draft resolution prepared for the Bundestag session by the ruling parties in Germany gathered around the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
In addition, according to the draft of this document, the Federal Government of Germany is proposed to call on the leaders of Serbia and Croatia to distance themselves from the ethnic-separatist forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Istraga. ba managed to get possession of this document which refers to BiH and which should be harmonized during the next week.
Below are the most important details of the draft resolution.
”The adoption of a constitution based on democratic principles, in line with the European Convention on Human Rights, in an inclusive process involving civil society and the opposition, is key to further bringing the country closer to the European Union (EU).
Necessary changes to the Constitution and the Election Law of BiH must be aimed at overcoming ethnic divisions in the country. Relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (primarily in the Sejdic-Finci, Zornic, Pudaric, Slaku, and Pilav cases) must be implemented in full and in substance. The Bundestag sees with great concern that the negative influence of neighboring countries on possible reform of the election law is increasing. The so-called ‘principle of legitimate representation’ should be rejected,” it is stated.
According to the opinion of the Bundestag, this hinders the equal participation of all citizens in the political process and is not in line with EU values and standards, it would further deepen the division of BiH and implement relevant judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
”The creation of even a third entity, in addition to the existing the Federation of BiH (FBiH) and the Republika Srpska (RS), would jeopardize the country’s territorial integrity and run counter to the goal of a pluralistic civil society,” it is stated in the internal document that will be the basis for the Bundestag resolution on BiH.
The document further states that it is important to prevent the simple amendment of the election law without changing the constitution, only to cover up the persistence of ethnic division, and points out that “the upcoming elections this fall require the greatest international attention and support.”
”Obstruction, boycott or manipulation of elections by these political forces would have serious consequences,” it is stated in the draft.
In order to maintain a favorable environment for corruption and clientelism, the document continues, some political leaders are increasingly relying on separatism, hatred, and hate speech.
”In particular, the political actions of nationalist politicians such as Milorad Dodik, currently a member of the Presidency of BiH, and Dragan Covic, president of the HDZ BiH party, aim to destroy BiH as a state and home to a diverse population. This policy is a threat to peace in Southeast Europe; this is unacceptable and requires resolute, firm resistance from the EU, its Member States, and the international community,” write the proposers of the document that should be considered on May 16th and 17th by the Committee of Representative Groups of the ruling parties.
The proponents remind that in December last year, the RS entity started activities leading to withdrawal from the army, from the tax system at the level of BiH and that from the summer of 2021, RS representatives boycott state institutions. Anti-constitutional, paramilitary parades were held in Banja Luka on several occasions in the presence of high representatives of Serbia and Russia.
”The secessionist rhetoric of the RS government and constant attacks on state institutions continue to undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement. Further undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement and the European legal order, in particular the Stabilization and Association Agreement, which entered into force in 2016, carries significant foreign and security policy risks for the EU,” state the proponents.
Genocide denial is also one of the topics covered in this document.
”The war in BiH and the genocide in Srebrenica represent the failure of the international community to resolutely oppose this policy. The post-war order in BiH was based on the idea that all people could live together in a common state and that there would be lasting peace. The peace agreement, the Office of the High Representative, the international peacekeeping force, and the prospect of EU membership has made significant contributions to the fact that there has been no serious escalation of violence in BiH since 1995. On the other hand, the Dayton Peace Agreement left the country without functioning state structures and preserved ethnic divisions that deepened as a result of the war instead of overcoming them. The result is a constitution that is partly undemocratic, encourages clientelism, and discriminates against many citizens of BiH,” it is stated in the document.
According to the document, members of the Serbian political leadership not only show a lack of distance toward the nationalist idea of “Greater Serbia”, but also support such ideas with their statements.
”Strong support for the Russian authorities, led by Putin, the division forces in the region, should not be underestimated. Russia has an undisguised interest in destabilizing the Western Balkans region, and thus the EU. As a sovereign state, BiH has the right to free choice. In this context, the Bundestag positively notes the country’s will to move closer to NATO, which was expressed, among other things, by the acceptance of the 2019 Membership Action Plan,” is stated in the draft resolution.
Corruption has also been identified as one of the major problems in BiH. Therefore, the Bundestag intends to call on the Federal Government to monitor the United States (U.S.) and the United Kingdom (UK) when it comes to sanctions against officials in BiH.
”The German Bundestag calls on the Federal Government to continue to strongly advocate sanctions in the EU, in close coordination with the U.S. and the UK, targeting individuals, institutions, and companies that: violate the sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order, and international legal personality of BiH; seriously jeopardize security in BiH, or challenge the General Framework Agreement for Peace (Dayton Agreement) in BiH and its annexes, including measures introduced as part of its implementation,” it says in the document.
If adopted, the Bundestag would call on the German government to call on “Serbian leaders, also in view of the ongoing EU accession process, and Croatia to distance themselves from ethnic separatist forces in BiH.” In addition, it called for support to EUFOR forces, then to strengthen the OHR, as well as “actively monitor and actively support BiH’s approach to NATO and implement it in the implementation of the Membership Action Plan.”
E.Dz.
