Bosnia Heads For the Bottom, not Europe

Bosnia's hope depends on its leaders! Why is it that the blame always goes elsewhere? Is it now the EU's fault that Bosnia doesn't yet meet the conditions for visa free travel?

THIS IS THE WORST BLOGS I HAVE EVER READ ON BALKAN INSIGHT. IF BOSNIA WANTS TO BE UNITED WITH THE REST OF EUROPE, THEY SHOULD FIRST PUT THEIR HOUSE IN ORDER. AS FOR KOSOVO AND ALBANIA, VERY SOON THE EU WILL INCLUDE THEM IN THE SCHENGEN LIST. BUT FOR BOSNIA, NO WAY... A COUNTRY WITH 3 PRESIDENTS ISNT A UNITED COUNTRY... PUT YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER BOSNIA AND STOP BLAMING IT ON RELIGION, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE

The point is that if EU wanted they could liberate visa for Bosnia without looking to the artificial conditions, exactly like EU did in the case of Serbia, that without fullfilling their necessary conditions, they get their visa liberization. It seems that EU is not fair and right towards Bosnia, and at same time rewards Serbia...so the excuse of blaming Bosnia's leaders simply does not exists...

I have to say that I partially agree with Sammy. This is probably one of the worst blogs I have written. There was so much more that I wanted to say, as I discovered more and more inconsistencies and injustices in the EU visa-free system. I also agree with Sammy that Bosnian leaders hold the first and foremost responsibility for this situatuation. Had they done what their job is, I would not be writing this today and everybody would be happy. But this does not mean that EU should be exlcuded from its part of resposnibility. The EU should be providing equal playing field for all, but it is not. EU promises Serbia a visa-free regime to boost Tadic elections' chances despite the fact that Ratko Mladic was not arrested and that country has not fulfilled all conditions.Yet for Bosnia, all those "technical" requirements are cast in stone. This attitude also allows Bosnian Serb politicians to block most of the required reforms and hold Bosnia a hostage without visa-free regime, but at the same time they can get Serbia's passports and travel to Europe freely. This all certainly does not make sense, because this should not be what Europe and EU is all about. Srecko

As I said many times before, the main problem is the B-Muslims wrong point of view on the matter. If we consider Bosnia as a country which doesn't have a chance to survive in a long run, since two of three constitutional people don't want to live in it, then you could be in the position of focusing your interest in the right direction. Namely, if B-Muslims concentrate on relevant issues such is economy and social matters, instead of concentrating on political attacks on RoS, then they'll realize they could skyrocket themselves to the EU in a year or two, providing they get rid of their incompetent and economically ignorant today's politician elite. They must understand that this B-Muslim political elite is causing them problems in their everyday lives. And they doing that by covering their incompetence and ignorance with highly inflammable political talks about "higher cause". As soon as they realize that, it will be better. I firmly believe many of B-Muslims just want to live peaceful and rich lives instead to be involved into and mesmerized by so-called "high politics". So, let B.Croats and B-Serbs to live their lives, and concentrate on your own lives. Only then you'll realize that B-Muslim community is very, very near the Europe.

thank you for finally disclosing who you are and how you are connected to this (but do not expect of me to do the same). Now I know what to think of you. You are not the first international official (if what you say is true, but for now I will assume it is) to be hostile to Bosnia, the Bosniaks or Muslims in general (which, with your Orthodox background you could not be otherwise.) So, after your experience in Bosnia and after your masterly analysis, would you be so kind as to enlighten me how your benighted solution would look like? Who gets what territories? What about the displaced persons, do they have to relinquish their homes forever, or does this only apply to Bosniaks, while the Serbs from Sarajevo or other places must be given back their homes and property, which means that there will be Serb enclaves within the Bosniak statelet, just like the Jewish settlement in Hebron. Will that Bosniak statelet have the right to its own infrastructures and utilities, such as the airport of Sarajevo, power stations, major roads, railway lines, power lines, water reservoirs etc? What about agrarian land, or will that all be left in Serb hands, so that they can't even feed themselves and must depend on humanitarian aid forever – which the Serbs could cut off at will?? No, both parties could never find an agreement, and they would both feel cheated, no matter how things are distributed. As for the RS going it alone, don't make me laugh. The separation of "RS" is thought as a compensation to Serbia for having lost Kosovo. And to any Bosniak who would listen to me I would recommend them to resist with all means that they sign away half or 3/4 of their homeland. Otherwise the Bosniaks will become the Palestinians of Europe, a people without a country and without rights.

I see you have still not answered my question: how would your evil little schem work in practice. Because you don't have a thing to stand on, never mind that you were in teh area for 4 yeaers.

My dear Anti... Friend, etc... I said to myself many times before I will not to be engaged in any kind of dialogue with you, since it'll be like broken pencil - pointless. How could one conduct a conversation with the person who is firmly threatening to the others that he will NEVER disclose HIS identity (sic!). That fact alone is enough for someone to suspect that something is very fishy about you. Adding to that fact, your amazing need to use endless nicks in your posts (once you are "antifascist", then you are "friendofbosnia", and after that you are "you-know-who", and so on and on and on... God only knows how many nicks you use) make your credibility even lower. But just this once, I will step back from my decision and will answer to you. After that, I will only react to your blood-thirsty battle crys against non-Muslim population. First of all I'll reiterate my position. Bosnia-Herzegovina is a Frankenstein state, which does not have any future. The fact that two of three constitutional peoples don't want to live in it is enough for anyone who is willing to think clearly to understand that B&H is doomed, to split up, sooner or later, across the ethnic lines. And this is why: If you think of "multi-ethnic Unitary Bosnia", then you should think about possibility that some B-Serb politician, let's say Mr.Dodik, should come to Sarajevo as a PM and start administrate and manage B-Muslim assets. Let's say he decides to built new coal power-plant worth 4.5 billion EUR in the vicinity of Tuzla. Does anyone really think B-Muslim politicians will let him do that and be cut out of the deal? They surly won't. Not to mention possible mr.Dodik's decision of, let's say, construction of the major autobahn Belina-Banja Luka. There is no way B-Muslims will let him do that with their money. On the other hand, if you say that mr.Dodik doesn't have a chance to become PM of the "multi-ethnic Unitary Bosnia", since B-Muslims and B-Croats will group together with an aim not to let any significant B-Serb participation in "multi-ethnic Unitary Bosnia" political life, then you won't have "multi-ethnic Unitary Bosnia", but "two-ethnic Bosnia" in which one constitutional people will be trampled underfoot by other two nations. (if you wanna contemplate little bit about the real cause of B&H civil war 92-95, think little bit about that statement). I am pretty sure B-Serbs will not allow that. On the other hand, there's always a possibility of B-Croats and B-Serbs grouping together against B-Muslim's interests. Maybe even in some cases we could imagine B-Serbs and B-Muslims group together against B-Croat's interest. And if you think a little bit about what I've just said, you'll realize that always present possibility of "2 ethnic groups against 1 ethnic group" majority is the main reason that project called "Unitary Bosnia" will never succeed. On the other hand, if you let three constitutional peoples to develop on their own, you'll never have to worry about accusations of B-Serbs using B-Muslim money, or B-Croats using B-Muslim money, or B-Muslims using B-Croats and B-Serbs money. That way everyone will use their own money for their own purposes. And that's way B-Muslims will be in the very good position to build their own power-plants, their own airports, their own major roads, their own railways lines, power grids, factories, amusement parks, shopping malls, religious objects, mosques and whatever they like. No one will stop them, and what's more, no one will control them on how they spending their money. That way, if they turn to themselves, and stop wasting time on blaming others for their misfortune, they'll learn they could skyrocket to the EU in just a couple of years. As far as "agrarian land" (as you put it) is concerned, there are plenty of it in B-Muslim federation – so they could produce plenty of food and beverage not only for themselves but for the export as well. And what's more, B-Muslim federation is not landlocked, unlike RoS! B-Muslims have an open access to the Adriatic cost and sea via town of Neum, so all your statements about some virtual "B-Muslim ghetto" are just pure propaganda. (see Google Earth) Through the Port in the town of Neum, B-Muslims have access to the whole wide world! And having in mind that the territory of the Federation which is under B-Muslims control is approximately the size of the Macedonia and 1.5 times bigger then Slovenia (both former republics of Yugoslavia), you have all the preconditions to develop into modern and dynamic country. But, no! That is not enough for you! Your main goal is not to become modern, developed and prosperous European country! At least not until you get rid of B-Serbs. And with that statement we are steering away form the reality on the ground and entering ever interesting world of politics, accusations and propaganda. But even in that world of deception and illusions, there are couple of well established facts. First, B-Serbs don't like you and don't hate you. They want you to let them alone. They just don't want to live with you. And they don't want to live with you because THEY DON'T TRUST YOU! You may ask yourself (but I doubt you will) why they don't trust you? I'll tell you – they don't trust you because of your hatred you are purring out on them with your every single statement. You call them: fascists, serbofascists, genocidal maniacs, genocidal nation, killers, rapists, muslimhaters, islamophobists etc… and you want them to trust you? Fat chance. After that there goes your famous statement – you don't hate all B-Serbs, but just serbofascists. And who'll introduce strict and clear distinction between "honest Serbs" and "serbofascists"? You? How? By extending your hand, while in the other you are hiding AK-47 behind your back? "Anyone who is clinching his hand into fist is a serbofascist – and has only two options: either he will move out of MY B&H into Serbia or he'll get bullet in his forehead" (that is not self defense)! And how are you deciding which B-Serb is clinching his fist? By a simple question. "Are you in favor or against of Unitary Bosnia without RoS"? Any B-Serb who says he is against (and that is 99,99% of B.Serbs), is "serbofascist" and deserves a bullet, or if he is lucky enough that you feeling generous – you'll let him move out from YOUR B&H into Serbia (that is called ethnic cleansing). But B-Serbs are not falling for your trap. You may extend your hand toward them as long as you wish, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE YOU WON'T FIND THEIR HAND. Neither fist, nor open hand. Why? Because THEY DON'T TRUST YOU. They just want you to let them alone. And since the circle is closed, and I don't want to repeat myself, if you wonder why they don't trust you, you may refer to my above paragraph. Next level is simple one. Since you, as a B-Muslim, feel superior to B-Serbs (that feeling is much owned to the history), you don't feel any urge to try to gain B-Serbs confidence, (why would you since almost all of them are "fascist, killers and genocidal maniacs"). You say "If they don't want to live under my rule and my conditions, and don't want to subjugate, then fine! In a 10 or 15 years, with a birth rate of B-Muslims, we will become absolute majority in Bosnia, and since we are not naïve as we were in 92, we'll take our guns and tanks and artillery and we'll wipe out those serbofascists from OUR TERRITORY (B-Serbs are native to B&H and that is not YOUR territory), and then we'll have OUR Bosnia as we like it". Apart from the fact that you are calling on committing genocide and ethnic cleansing of B-Serbs, that is completely legitimate political goal. I am aware of B-Muslims general opinion that those B-Serbs, "majority of whom are fascists", who don't want to live under B-Muslim rule, deserve worst suffering of slaughter and ethnic cleansing from B&H. Therefore your constant blood-thirsty revenge-seeking war cries.You may try to do that. But I doubt the World will let you.

Personally, I think that if ANY of the 3 wish to secede they should be allowed to. So if the Serbs wish to break away from Bosnia, why not? If the Croats wish to break away, gods speed. And if the Muslims wish to break away, go for it. Hell, The Slovenes got independence. The Croats got independence. Bosnia got independence. And now even Kosovo got independence. So why not extend the same rights of self determination to people who clearly do not want to live in Bosnia? Double standard in my opinion.

What an incredible collection of rubbish and nonsense you write, "Hawk". And to top it off, each and every word just drips with the hate and scorn you feel for Muslims. And people like you were in the international administration in Bosnia. No wonder it is a shambles now. And come to think of it, since people in Macedonia also do not like and do not trust each other, why not divide it as well? Or Albania? After all, there are Muslim Orthodox and Catholic Albanians. And Serbia itself, why not give anybody who wants to break apart from it a piece of territory? Aah, but then Serbia is sacrosanct and must not be touched.

As I already said once, typical answer for someone who doesn't have ANY argument (not to mention VALID argument) which he could confront to my analysis. As far as divisions are concerned, I must repeat my position (although I've already said that about million times). I am in favor of referendums about self determination of any nation. But, in the case of Macedonia and Montenegro, I'm afraid IC won't allow that (EU above all), since if Albanians and Muslims (Bosniaks) decide to secede, those two countries will be wiped out from the face of the Earth. EU doesn't need that. Would it be successful in preventing that, only time will tell. Regarding Albania, you completely miss the point. This is not about religion (although if it is, Orthodox and Catholics in Albania consist only 5% of the population. The rest of Albanians are Muslims), but about Nationality. And with respect to the Serbia, I am strongly in favor of organizing the referendum about Muslim and Voivodina will of self determination. They must decide whether to stay within Serbia or to secede. I have not a single problem with that, providing that at the same time RoS and Herzeg-Bosnia should be allowed to organize their referendums about secession from B&H. Please, bare in mind that in that case, you could, for sure, kiss RoS good buy for good. One way or another, National question in the Balkans must be resolved once and for all. If you think little bit about it, all states in Europe are national states (except of Switzerland which is Confederation, and Belgium which was and still is on the verge of dissolution). France belongs to French, Germany belongs to Germans, Italy to Italians, Spain to Spaniards etc. During 1990, only those European countries which weren't National (and therefore they were artificial) states, such was USSR, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia did dissolve. And they dissolved (some peacefully, some through the war), right across the ethnic lines! On national states! At the moment, only relic state left in Europe to remind us on those tragic times of existence of artificial states, is B&H. And as such, B&H is doomed to split across the ethnic lines. Sooner or later.

I completely disagree with Hawk. Why always all this talk about ethnicity? There is only one ethnicity, the illyric one! What they call Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats in Bosnia are just BOSNIANS, on a stron regional identity! Why are orthodox people in Montenegro, "Crnogorci", and orthodox people in Bosnia, "Srbi" and not "Bosanci"? Come on, you have a strong and common identity in Bosnia-Herzegovina, try to live together without worrying about your religion, even the language is the same, so there isn't a real national problem, if only you could peacefully live together, it really isn't that hard for a real democratic person. Only hope is that politicians first give the example, which they don't, unfortunately.