Media Release,
Media Release, Sarajevo and New Haven, 23 August 2022: Open Letter to US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken Urging Constitutional and Electoral Reform in BiH in line with European Court of Human Rights Judgements: A Vision and New Manifesto for Democracy in BiH for the 21st Century .
With the renewed support of the Russian Federation for Bosnian Serb and Bosnian Croat separatists, the hard-won peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina is threatened once again. Bosnia faces the threat of Republika Srpska becoming another Donbas as well as the creation of a third entity within its borders. Once again, Bosnia needs the support of the United States of America to avoid further conflict. However, this time, the divisive and discriminatory ethnonationalist ideologies that were institutionalized and engendered at Dayton need to be systematically removed from the Constitution and electoral system in order to counter Russian meddling, bring stability to the region, and to ensure a lasting peace.
Indeed, without a fundamental restructuring of the Dayton-rendered Constitution, meaningful change will not be possible for Bosnia. Hence, we, the undersigned citizens and friends of Bosnia propose two crucial initiatives for U.S. engagement in Bosnia for urgently needed constitutional and electoral reform. Noted signatories include: Azra Zorni?, Jakob Finci, Dervo Sejdi?, Slaven Kova?evi?, Zlatan Begi?, David Pettigrew, Adil Kulenovi?, Tanya Domi, Bojan Šoši?, Hazim Baši?, Samir Behari?, Azra Berbi?, Vildana Bijedi?, Sonja Biserko, Štefica Gali?, Marion Kraske, Kurt Bassuener,Senadin Lavi?, Carole Hodge, Satko Mujagi?, Janusz Bugajski, Emir Rami?, Daniel Serwer, and Aida Ibri?evi?.
First, we encourage the U.S. to initiate and support a process of creating a new social contract for the 21st century in Bosnia. Instead of a complicated and extremely costly governance system involving the state government, two entities and 10 Cantons, governance would be transferred to Bosnia's municipalities, resulting in a more locally based democratic model that is citizen centered.
Second, we appeal to the U.S. to encourage the Office of the High Representative to implement constitutional and electoral reform across the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with relevant judgements of the European Court of Human Rights, including the judgement in the Zorni? v. BiH Application. The judgements of the ECtHR have consistently opposed the discriminatory priority of constituent peoples in BiH and have urged democratic reforms. Such democratic reforms would mean that any and all citizens would be eligible to stand for election for any office in their municipality, and would, in turn, be eligible to stand for election to represent their municipality in the national parliament. Such reform would also help Bosnia fulfill conditions for its membership in the European Union.
Hence, our letter to Secretary Blinken proposes a fundamental shift in American foreign policy with respect to reform of the election law in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We oppose any appeasement of the ethnonationalist HDZ political party seeking to insure the election of one of its members to the Presidency –a so-called “legitimate” Bosnian Croat representative. Such a result would only further entrench ethnic divisions and produce a situation in which two members of the Presidency would be seeking to undermine Bosnia’s sovereignty.
We urge the US administration to support genuine constitutional and electoral reform that will ensure a sustainable democratic political culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With international meddling in Bosnia’s internal affairs from Croatia, Serbia and the Russian Federation, and with the exacerbation of social divisions within Bosnia through the rise of hate speech, genocide denial, and the glorification of convicted war criminals, along with threats of secession and third entities, there is no time to lose.
Please note: Delivered on August 22, 2022, our letter to Secretary Blinken was also sent to numerous prominent United States Senators and Representatives, including Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Murphy, and Benjamin Cardin, who are among the sponsors of the S.4741 - Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act.
