Bosnia And Herzegovina
Prisoners of the Past? Political Crises and Ethnic Tensions in the Western Balkans
This week on War & Peace, Olga is joined by Marko Prelec, Crisis Group’s consulting senior Balkans analyst, to discuss the political landscape in the Western Balkans, the risks of Bosnia and Herzegovina falling apart, simmering tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, and prospects for EU enlargement.
CrisisWatch Bosnia And Herzegovina
Unchanged Situation
Republika Srpska (RS) announced participation in October poll under state-level Election Law; UN adopted resolution on Srebrenica.
RS announced participation in local elections. Ruling coalition of self-governing entity RS 21 May confirmed participation in 6 Oct local elections supervised by Central Electoral Commission, meaning election will be held in accordance with state-level Electoral Law. Move de-escalated rising tensions between entity and High Representative Christian Schmidt over latter’s 26 March amendments to state-level election law. Still, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik 21 May said decision to participate in poll “does not mean the recognition” of any of Schmidt’s powers and promised RS would apply entity-level Election Law in 2026 general election, which RS National Assembly adopted in April but which is being reviewed by local authorities amid concerns about constitutionality.
UN approved resolution commemorating Srebrenica. UN General Assembly 23 May voted in favour of resolution declaring 11 July as “International Day of Reflection and Remembrance of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide”. Dodik same day announced RS govt would send proposal on “peaceful disassociation” to Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity within 30 days; U.S. embassy next day warned move “is dangerous, irresponsible, anti-Dayton, and puts the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and multi-ethnic character of BiH at risk”.
Latest Updates
Prisoners of the Past? Political Crises and Ethnic Tensions in the Western Balkans
This week on War & Peace, Olga is joined by Marko Prelec, Crisis Group’s consulting senior Balkans analyst, to discuss the political landscape in the Western Balkans, the risks of Bosnia and Herzegovina falling apart, simmering tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, and prospects for EU enlargement.
Helping Keep Bosnia and Herzegovina Together
Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the verge of falling apart as Republika Srpska, the smaller of its two ethnically divided parts, threatens to break away. In this excerpt from the Watch List 2024 – Spring Update, Crisis Group urges the EU to help stop the fragmentation.
Bosnia and Herzegovina After the Elections
This week on War & Peace, Olga Oliker and Elissa Jobson speak with Marko Prelec, Crisis Group’s senior consulting analyst for the Balkans, about the elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia’s persisting political divisions and where the country might be headed next.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Hot Summer
A pre-election standoff between Bosniaks and Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken an ugly turn, with rhetoric from the 1990s war reappearing. Ideally, politicians would make the reforms needed to settle the quarrel but, if not, the internationally appointed high representative should do so.
Changing Dynamics in the Western Balkans
This week on War & Peace, Olga Oliker talks to Crisis Group expert Marko Prelec about the precarious situation in the Western Balkans, as Serb separatism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the frozen Kosovo-Serbia dispute continue to stoke regional instability.
EU Watch List: 10 Cases Where the EU can Build Peace in 2022 (Online Event, 28th January 2022)
Crisis Group’s Watch List identifies ten countries or regions at risk of deadly conflict or escalation thereof in 2022. In these places, early action, driven or supported by the EU and its member states, could enhance prospects for peace and stability.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Deterring Disintegration
Trust between Bosnia and Herzegovina’s politicians has broken down following threats from Serb leader Milorad Dodik, the most serious challenge since the 1995 Dayton Accords. In this excerpt from the Watch List 2022, Crisis Group urges the EU and its member states to mediate the dispute between Bosniak and Croat leaders while supporting an inclusive constitutional reform to reduce the risk of violence.
Bosnia Unravelling?
This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood and Naz Modirzadeh talk to Balkans expert Marko Prelec about the twin crises facing Bosnia’s multi-ethnic state. They ask if Serbian secessionism and a Croat election boycott could lead to the country’s unravelling a quarter-century after its civil war.
Grappling with Bosnia’s Dual Crises
The chief international representative in Bosnia has warned the country may break apart if Bosnian Serbs continue moving toward secession and Bosniaks and Croats do not resolve an electoral dispute. In this Q&A, Crisis Group experts Marko Prelec and Ashish Pradhan explain the two-pronged crisis.
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