This is a question that the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina need to talk about, in the midst of a political blockade, had to think if they wanted to return the country to the agenda of the European Union.
On the one hand, Germany is very much helping Bosnia and Herzegovina and its economy. On the other hand, it takes away the most valuable thing from it – the population. There is more and more room for strengthening cooperation, politically and economically. Economically – the benefit is mutual, analysts say. Germany is increasingly opening its market to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The coverage of imports by exports in the last four years exceeds 90 percent, and, although not with the highest numbers, last year was a record.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, in 2020, Bosnia and Herzegovina exported more goods to Germany than it imported from that country.
According to economists, there is room for significant progress, and the responsibility lies with the representatives of the authorities from our country. Corona
Zoran Pavlovic, the economist, says that what is needed is for the good word on cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina to spread further and further, and that can only be done through our ambassador to Germany. On the other hand, by actively involving businessmen who would enter that market, BHRT writes.
“I think that this side of the foreign policy activities of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been completely neglected. There is no doubt that Germany, specifically its citizens, also benefits from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The trend of emigration continues. Everyday queues in front of the embassy in Sarajevo suit the Germans. Negative natural increase in that country is successfully compensated by skilled labor from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Whole families are leaving. According to the German Bureau of Statistics, almost 54,000 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have emigrated to the country in the last seven years,” he adds.
BODO VEBER, an analyst from Berlin:
“This really has a catastrophic effect on the demographic picture and economic capacity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in a way, unfortunately, it is a mirror of the gloomy political picture of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The upcoming federal parliamentary elections in Germany, which will determine the era after Angela Merkel, could be a good chance for BH authorities to step up diplomatic activity,” analysts say.
For some, it is a signal that the European path of the region will continue to be the focus of Germany. For others, even Merkel’s conscience may be worried, because it is evident that most of the countries of the Western Balkans have not advanced far in the field of European integration over the years.
