The United States (US) along with the European Union (EU) should encourage Bosnia's party leaders to negotiate a new election law, recommends the EastWest Institute in its latest report analysing the situation in the Western Balkans region.
According to the report, which examines the need for immediate decisive action by the US and the EU to address pressing issues and prevent potential conflict in the Western Balkans, Bosnia was an urgent priority in 2018.
“The US along with the EU should encourage Bosnia’s party leaders to negotiate a new election law. Should they fail to reach an agreement, the High Representative should use his powers to intervene, to include drafting and promulgating a law on behalf of the Bosnian entities,” said the report, created in cooperation with the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.
The High Representative, installed to oversee the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), which ended the 1990s armed conflict in Bosnia, was granted further substantial powers to prevent obstructions of the DPA implementation.
Although the High Representative has not been involved in the most recent talks on electoral legislation changes in Bosnia, the US and the EU ambassadors in the country were taking the advisory role, mediating in the so far unsuccessful meetings discussing the electoral reform.
VEZANE VIJESTI
“After Bosnia's election this fall, the US and the EU should focus on streamlining the Dayton institutions in ways consistent with the EU accession, but not at the cost of upsetting the fundamental bargain struck by the Dayton,” said the report.
The report suggests that the Western Balkans should be on agenda of the upcoming US-EU summit and the NATO Summit, as “this year offers a window of opportunity to focus on and develop common policies for the Western Balkans.”
“Now is the time for the United States, alongside our European allies, to re-engage in the region to forestall a downward spiral that could lead to potentially fractured states and widespread instability on Europe’s borders,” reads the report.
