Bosnia and Herzegovina has obliged it will not occupy the Moon or any other planet, according to a treaty that was ratified on Thursday at the Parliament's session, Radio Free Europe (RFE) reported. Although it passed the parliament, the MPs were rather unaware of what the document actually meant.
The document that was endorsed is called the Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, or simply – the Moon Treaty,
Some parliamentarians commented that this issue could wait until “earthly matters” are arranged.
“We don't say this is unimportant and irrelevant, but in this reality, it is necessary to give a chance to our vital issues of better standard, economy and development as dominant topics. Everything else is marginal and I think it might not be the moment for the matters of this kind, not only this one but others as well,” opposition MP Mirko Sarovic told RFE.
Semsudin Mehmedovic shares this opinion, stressing that the country is faced with many other crucial problems.
“While the country is losing a huge number of its citizens, while we're sending the freshest labour force to Europe, we are dealing with the space issues that are absolutely out of our concern but, here, it has to be harmonised with some European principles,” he said.
But, most of the parliamentarians who were asked during the session break what is the document about – had no idea.
“I'm going to read it after the session, is that OK?,” said MP Nenad Nesic.
Adil Osmanovic avoided the answer, adding that others in his party, the ruling SDA, are in charge of that matter.
For Zukan Helez, it was something that had to be done.
“We'll probably not live that long but there are many things Bosnia and Herzegovina won't be able to have for long, but has to sign them as an international obligation,” he added.
With this agreement, Bosnia obliges among other things it will not be using the nuclear weapon in the space.
According to the document, space – including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not a subject of the national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, through occupation or the use of any other tool.
The country can, however, benefit from the ratified document. Bosnian astronauts will be allowed to use the equipment and spaceships whenever they decide to go to space.
The Moon Treaty is a multilateral treaty that turns jurisdiction of all celestial bodies (including the orbits around such bodies) over to the participant countries. Thus, all activities would conform to international law, including the United Nations Charter.
It lays several provisions outlined in 21 articles, stipulating among other things that the Moon should be used for the benefit of all states and all peoples of the international community, that lunar resources are “not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means,” and expresses a desire to prevent the Moon from becoming a source of international conflict, so that the resources should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.
