Petritsch for new partnership between Bosnia and the EU

The early resignation of the Slovak Miroslav Lajčák as High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the height of the world economic crisis should be used to redraw the partnership between Bosnia and the EU so as to prevent Bosnia’s situation from becoming even gloomier.

Lajčák does not wish to leave behind a vacuum

This appeal for a radical renewal of relations between Brussels and Sarajevo was made by Wolfgang Petritsch at the end of January in the leading Bosnian broadsheet Oslobođenje (Liberation). The previous day the High Representative for Bosnia Miroslav Lajčák, 46, was sworn in as new Foreign Minister in Bratislava. Lajčák had only been High Representative since June 2007. He justified his resignation saying that the position of Slovak Foreign Minister was one that he could not refuse. At the same time, however, he did not wish to leave behind a vacuum in Bosnia.

Hannes Swoboda as possible successor

In Bosnia itself Lajčák’s unexpected resignation met with criticism, as Tijana Purgić reports. The first High Representative from Eastern Europe is said to have put his personal national diplomatic career before a position that is of vital importance for Europe, the USA and the United Nations. Possible successors include not only the former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and the former British EU Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten, but also a number of Austrians, notably the European Social Democrat Hannes Swoboda from Vienna and also the diplomat Valentin Inzko, Austria’s first ambassador in Sarajevo (1996–1999) and since 2005 in Ljubljana. Swoboda claimed recently that no one had yet spoken to him of the possibility, but he was interested in the region. He is currently rapporteur for Croatia in the European Parliament.

Bosnia must do its homework

On his Internet blog Swoboda wrote on 22 January 2009 that he was very disappointed with developments in Bosnia. Miroslav Lajčák’s last report to Brussels had been very pessimistic and negative and no major progress had been made. Many problems from the civil war days were still far from being solved, particularly the prosecution of war criminals and the return of refugees. Although there had been some advances, not enough had been done and there was still no new constitution. In view of these shortcomings it was “grotesque” for the Bosnian Foreign Minister to announce that an application for membership of the EU was to be made in a few months. “Bosnia needs to do its homework before it embarks on such a step,” he said.

Petritsch appeal

This dilemma has prompted Wolfgang Petritsch to appeal for a new beginning. The current OECD ambassador in Paris, from 1995 to 1997 councillor in Vienna responsible for external affairs and from 1999 to 2002 High Commissioner in Bosnia said in Oslobođenje (Liberation) in a joint statement with Christophe Solioz, Secretary General of the Center for European Integration Strategies (CEIS) in Geneva, that the partnership with the EU should be redefined so as to help Bosnia out of the crisis situation before it got worse. It was “crying shame” that Bosnia was still playing politics and setting conditions to avoid fulfilling the terms of the Association and Stabilisation Agreement with the EU, a situation that was becoming less and less acceptable. Support for Bosnia was dwindling even amongst its traditional supporters. Irresponsible power struggles had to be stopped and maximalist positions abandoned. Bridges had to be built over historical chasms in much the same way that Europe had managed to do in the past.

From ethnic quotas to EU democracy

With the resignation of Miroslav Lajčák at the height of the world economic crisis, the time had come for new relations between Bosnia and the EU. Bosnia and Herzegovina had to give up the ethnic quotas and finally become a democratic state with Bosnians, Serbs and Croats existing together. Administrative structures had to be slimmed down and government hierarchies reduced. The situation at present was an unaffordable waste of money. The development of regional structures was a further focus. In that respect the Benelux countries could act as a model. Regional democracy and decentralisation would help to transform Bosnia into an EU-style state and would safeguard transfrontier cooperation. EU subsidies for Bosnia and its neighbours were available for that purpose. Interregional cooperation in the Balkans would help the cause of EU integration. Finally, Bosnia urgently needed a constitution acceptable to the EU. There should be a concrete timetable for drafting such a constitution, and sanctions to be imposed for failure to comply with the relevant agreements and obligations.

Gloomy prospects – no alternative to the EU

The situation at present was gloomy, said Petritsch. Bosnia’s existence depended on EU integration (supported by the USA). A new High Representative should not be appointed until the conditions for partnership between Bosnia and the EU had been established, which would help pave the way for overdue reforms. Should the impasse continue at the height of the world economic crisis, however, there was concern that the situation in and around Bosnia could deteriorate even more dramatically than was the case a few months ago. A new wind was blowing in Washington. Changes were also possible and overdue in Bosnia.