Following the visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the question of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) European path has once again come into focus.
Although Brussels described BiH as “standing at the doorstep of the European Union,” political analyst Bojan Šolaja from the Center for International and Security Studies says many essential questions remain unanswered: Who leads the process, what has been achieved so far, what still needs to be done, and how much do citizens truly believe in the EU perspective?
“BiH has been at the EU’s doorstep for a long time. We’ve heard similar messages before. While this is not a new statement, it is somewhat encouraging because there were no open criticisms. Still, the points raised are the same as those discussed in previous years, so everything sounded rather mild,” Šolaja said in an interview for RTRS.
He pointed out that the current stumbling block is the appointment of the chief EU negotiator, with the ruling coalition and the opposition each proposing their own candidates.
“The European Commission stressed that naming the chief negotiator is the first step. Logically, this should be someone who has already implemented reforms and worked in partnership with the governing structures. The SNSD’s proposal to appoint Ana Trišić Babić is entirely reasonable, as she is experienced and professionally qualified,” Šolaja said, adding that while opposition candidate Igor Crnadak also has political experience, this should not become a partisan issue.
He emphasized that dialogue is the only way forward, yet it is precisely what is lacking.
“We must respect BiH’s constitutional setup. If we want the country to function, we need to find faster, compromise-based solutions. Unfortunately, there’s always one side refusing to talk. We’ve seen that SNSD and HDZ are willing to engage, while the ‘Trojka’ coalition sometimes acts united and sometimes divided. No one right now is truly committed to dialogue,” Šolaja observed.
He warned that time is running out with the next election year approaching, and reminded that crucial reforms — such as the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and the Law on the Court — remain unresolved.
“Nothing will happen before the chief negotiator is appointed. It would be good to act efficiently. I believe Mrs. Trišić Babić has the advantage, and it’s unfortunate that yet another day was lost yesterday over procedural disputes,” Šolaja said, noting that the idea for the Parliamentary Assembly to make the appointment is legally impossible.
Regarding public support for EU membership, Šolaja expressed skepticism about the official claim that 72% of BiH citizens favor joining the EU.
“That figure doesn’t reflect the actual structure of BiH. After more than 20 years on this path, people have grown skeptical. We’re not alone in this — look at Turkey, which has been ‘at the gates’ of the EU for 30 years,” he said.
He concluded that the EU itself is facing serious internal challenges, and that enlargement is not a realistic prospect in the near future.
“Even from Brussels, we’ve heard that expansion is not currently feasible. Deadlines are constantly shifting, and realistically, nothing significant will happen in the next ten years,” Šolaja concluded.
Source: RTRS
