Professor of security studies Edin Mujkić stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing increasing geopolitical, regional and local security challenges and that the guarantee of its survival and development cannot be the help of the international community, but investment and strengthening of its own institutions.
Mujkić from the School of Public Service of the University of Colorado is today the keynote speaker of the regular session of the Association of Independent Intellectuals “Circle 99”, which was held on the topic “BiH before global, regional and local security challenges and threats”.
He briefly described the current situation in the world in the context of the war in Ukraine, the foreign policies of the USA, Russia and China and the repercussions of those policies on Europe and the region.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing increasing geopolitical, regional and local security challenges. The Russian invasion of Ukraine created a geopolitical earthquake that affects BiH primarily through the change of American policy towards Serbia, and then through the appeasement of many right-wing leaders in Europe for the purpose of unity in the fight against Putin’s Russia. However, such a policy will inevitably have its victims,” said Mujkic.
He believes that the policies of Aleksandar Vučić and Serbia, and Andrej Plenković and Croatia definitely show that Serbia and Croatia are trying to use this moment to achieve old and long-term goals at the expense of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“In addition to these threats, Russian propaganda, combined with real problems in the EU, especially when it comes to mass immigration and the energy sector, create fertile ground for the expansion of the influence of ultra-right parties in the EU. In addition to being pro-Russian, they are anything but democratic,” Mujkic said.
Emphasizing that such an environment is a natural ally of retrograde forces from Serbia and Croatia, Mujkić said that Bosnia and Herzegovina must primarily rely on itself.
“However, all parties that have the prefix pro-Bosnian have failed in building the capacity that would enable BiH to resist current or potential future security threats. This primarily refers to the building of institutions as well as investments in human resources. At the local level, BiH has proven its enormous institutional capacity. This year’s tragic earthquake in Turkey proved that members of the Mountain Rescue Service in BiH, despite all the difficulties, lack of resources and equipment, can very quickly send the same number of people as large, developed countries. A strong institutional capacity at the local level is actually the foundation of any democratic society. However, various obstructions at the state and federal level, as well as a lack of will and vision, obstruct the development of such institutions, even though they are an indicator of enormous potential,” he said.
Emphasizing that Bosnia and Herzegovina must not rely on the help of the international community to protect its basic interest, sovereignty and right to exist, Mujkić said that only investing in and building its own institutions, as well as investing in human resources, can be the key to overcoming the current challenges and the survival of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“In this situation, pro-Bosnian parties have to develop institutions, i.e. country where they can. If obstructions exist at the state and federal level, then the cantons must invest in institutions of state importance, either alone or in coordination with other cantons. “This is the only way BiH will be able to resist increasingly larger and more complex threats, be they local and regional in nature or global,” concluded Mujkić.
The president of Circle 99, Adil Kulenović, pointed out that this is an important topic in an extremely difficult period full of great challenges before Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“I am sure that with today’s session we will get a broader insight into the topic as well as an incentive for further elaboration, sensitization and activities on this security and first-rate political issue in these historical circumstances for Bosnia and Herzegovina and all its citizens,” Kulenović said.
He emphasized that the seriousness of the situation is worrying and that it is high time to heed the warnings coming from NATO officials and friendly countries that are focused on stability and peace.
“Historical responsibility rests with the elites, be they intellectual, moral, political or institutional, which future generations will not forgive for their numbness in time. Relying on expectations only from the actions of international subjects in the name of moral or legal reasons is not a sufficient guarantee, nor a reliable way to gain self-confidence and win the necessary alliances. A developed system of deterrence and warning, based on our own forces, organization, education and resources, is the only reliable guarantee of success, just like so many times in our past,” said Kulenović, AA reports.
