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BAKU, November 4 (FENA) - We should not embellish things: peace is under serious threat in the Western Balkans, warned the member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Šefik Džaferović in his address at the opening of the 8th Global Baku Forum under the motto "World after COVID", FENA's reporter writes from Azerbaijan's capital.
Džaferović pointed out that he was deeply convinced that enlargement to the Western Balkans was the best way for the European Union to gain new strength and energy. He is equally convinced that the Western Balkans will reach its full potential only after it is integrated into the European Union.
"Although the countries of the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, have shown strong aspirations towards the European Union, it is quite clear that the enlargement of the European Union to the Western Balkans is at a standstill, and in the short term it is difficult to expect any of our countries to become members," said Džaferović.
He added that the current crisis of the European perspective is already largely causing strong destabilizing effects in the Western Balkans. Instead of a common path to a European future, the spirits of the past are returning to the region; they rattle their weapons and threaten with redrawing of the borders. Therefore, things should not be embellished - peace is under serious threat in the Western Balkans, he warned.
He said that the Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina 26 years ago, was a symbol of hope.
The Dayton Accords did not bring justice to the victims but, it did bring the long-awaited peace. It was a rare case that through a diplomatic initiative the international community managed to stop a war in its heyday.
Despite numerous obstacles, Bosnia and Herzegovina has made tremendous progress over the past 26 years.
Under the Dayton Accords, state institutions have been established. The unified Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina were formed, consisting of members of all nations. A joint intelligence service, judiciary, tax system and numerous other institutions have been established.
"Only thanks to these institutions, peace has been preserved in Bosnia and Herzegovina even after the withdrawal of about 60,000 international troops. When the Dayton Accords was signed, many did not believe it would be implemented, even with so much international force present, and it remained in place for more than two and a half decades thanks to strong state institutions.
Now, all that progress has been endangered and with it, the peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Irresponsible politicians from the part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is called Republika Srpska, are threatening to disintegrate the mentioned state institutions," said Džaferović.
He pointed out that the entity of Republika Srpska has the highest mortality rate from COVID in Europe. In order to avoid facing this problem, the authorities of that entity have put the country in a state of the greatest security crisis since the end of the war. The announcement by the RS authorities that they will go for the barracks of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina is an alarm for vigilance and caution.
"The state institutions will defend the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We defended our country from aggression in the period 1992-1995. We are ready to defend it again, if necessary. I hope we will not get into that situation, but our determination is the best contribution to preserving peace. Indulgence has never been a friend of peace because it encourages bullies," he believes.
He further assessed that the world after COVID does not look at all encouraging. It seems that, after a long dark night, a cloudy and gloomy morning has dawned which does not give much reason for hope.
"Nevertheless, I am convinced that we will find the strength to resist all the negative challenges. With a determined and strong approach, we can certainly preserve peace and make new reform steps. Despite the current crisis of EU enlargement, I am convinced that this is a transitional phase and that this union, which is essential for preserving European peace, will find a way to gain new strength and energy," said Džaferović.
He is firmly convinced that huge potentials in this sense are located in the Western Balkans and that the integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries can bring a new force to the European Union itself. He is also convinced that the geostrategic and geopolitical configuration of the Western Balkans has been rounded up. There will be no border changes, exchange of territories, or the like.
"The only path for all the countries of the Western Balkans is membership in the European Union and their mutual cooperation under the auspices of the European Union. I also think that the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina is membership in NATO because it is a framework that guarantees the security of all of us who live in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I believe that these dark clouds, which are hovering over all of us, will disperse and that we will continue to build a global society that strives for universal security and prosperity," concluded Džaferović at the opening of the 8th Baku Forum.
(FENA) S. R.
