prijava
SARAJEVO, September 3 (FENA) - Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bruce Berton said in his farewell message, as his term ends, that BiH is stuck in a constant cycle of political turmoil caused by BiH leaders who are insufficiently interested in the future of the country.
His address follows bellow in its entirety.
As my time in Bosnia and Herzegovina comes to a close, I would like to offer a few reflections on the past four years.
BiH is stuck. Stuck in a constant cycle of political turmoil, brought on by leadership that is not interested enough in this country’s future. As a result, there is little policy debate or action regarding issues that matter to BiH’s citizens, and little progress on the path toward European integration. Instead, leaders use degrading rhetoric and imagined crises that deepen mistrust and keep the country deadlocked. Most political energy is spent on solving crises that could have been avoided in the first place.
It’s time to break the cycle.
To break the cycle of intransigence that does not allow negotiation or compromise, resulting in the current lack of government formation.
To break the cycle of leadership more concerned with themselves and their political base, at the expense of the country, its citizens and the reforms that are needed to move BiH forward.
To break the cycle of patronage and corruption that undermines rule of law, discourages investment, delays European integration and costs the people of BiH billions of KM.
To break the cycle of focusing only on past wrongs rather than creating a brighter future.
To break the cycle of believing that you owe your allegiance to a political party rather than to a country.
To break the cycle of apathy and hopelessness that discourages political participation and encourages citizens to leave for other countries.
There is plenty of blame to go around when we talk about political leadership, but in order to change the dynamic, we also need citizens to stand up and demand better.
To demand transparency and accountability from elected leaders. To participate in democratic processes and believe that your voice matters. To remember that change starts with you.
In four years I have had the opportunity to travel extensively within BiH. It is a dramatically beautiful country with wonderful people and huge potential. And away from the high-level politics, there are plenty of people, both young and old, who are willing to work together, willing to compromise, willing to act on behalf of the people they represent. People who see a brighter future and are working toward it.
This country needs those people now more than ever. And it is to those people I offer my sincere gratitude for the past four years and my fervent hope that your efforts are recognized and rewarded, for the sake of all of BiH’s citizens.
(FENA) S. R.
