SARAJEVO / BANJA LUKA / MOSTAR, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 15 February 2016 – The application for EU membership, which political representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina submitted on Monday, is important because it reaffirms country's commitment to EU, but it should not be seen as a major achievement since local leaders have not fulfilled conditions so that this application could be considered credible, said an open letter published by a group of Bosnian civic activists, academics and experts on the occasion of country's EU application.
“BiH leaders should not be allowed to use this event to promote their own re-election. Quite the contrary. BiH leaders have so far failed to fully meet even a single condition set by the EU for an application by BiH to be considered credible. For this reason the very act of application has become, or has remained, a mere formality,” the letter said.
“The growing politicization and monopolization of executive, legislative and judicial institutions is threatening to push the country and its peoples, without any real reason and need, into even greater economic and social misery, into political chaos, and maybe into something even worse,” it added.
In the letter the group of Bosnia's intellectuals and activists also warned the EU that it has an unrealistic picture and poor understanding of the situation in Bosnia.
“The EU has created a vision of a relatively stable and prosperous Balkans whish was supposed to be a part of its tactic in the region. In the meantime, this illusion has been accepted as reality and is now being used by the same EU as an excuse for maintaining its weak and shallow engagement in BiH and the rest of the Balkans,” the group said and stressed that “Such an EU engagement is jeopardizing the stability of the Balkans and therefore the stability of Europe itself.”
The letter called upon local leaders and EU officials to act up and focus on real reforms
“BiH politicians should finally stop playing increasingly dangerous political games and seriously focus on reform processes with full inclusion of all segments of BiH society,” the letter said.
It also called on the EU to wake up to the dangers of Bosnia's deepening crisis and to create a proper strategy for Bosnia and the rest of the Balkans.
“The accession process can only be a part of it, but not the strategy itself,” the letter said.
It also called on Bosnia's citizens to “wake up from lethargy … engage actively and remain engaged in creating a better environment.”
More information: Open Letter, February 15
Signatories:
Adnan Huskić
Aleksandar Trifunović
Aleksandar Žolja, Helsinški parlament građana Banja Luka
Centar za mlade “Kvart”
Darko Brkan
Dženana Dedić
Edita Miftari
Edvin Kanka Ćudić
Esma Drkenda, UŽ SEKA Goražde
Fondacija CURE
Goran Bubalo, Mreža za izgradnju mira
Inicijativa Građanke za ustavne promjene
Ivana Marić
Jasminka Drino Kirlić
Ljuljjeta Goranci Brkić
Lejla Hadžimešić
Maja Panić
Maksuma Topalović
Mirela Gruenther-Đečević
Mirjana Ribič
Nerzuk Ćurak
Neven Anđelić
Nuna Zvizdić, Žene ženama
Omladinski resursni centar Tuzla
Pavo Dujak, Savez za povratak izbjeglih i raseljenih Bosanske Posavine
Randal Puljek Shank
Ranka Ninković Papić, Fondacija za socijalno uključivanje
Sarajevski otvoreni centar
Srđan Blagovčanin
Srećko Latal
Šeila Kulenović Latal
Udruženje Prijedorčanki “Izvor”
Vesna Bajšanski Agić
Vladimir Ćorić, OKC Abrašević
Zilka Spahić Šiljak
Zlatica Gruhonjić
Zoran Ivančić
Zulka Baljak
Žarko Papić