Local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Citizens vote against corruption and nationalism Criminal ethno-clans have dominated the political scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina for three decades, and the destructive ideologies of the 1990s have never been placed ad acta. Many voters discovered the power of their vote at the local elections, in order to reject the ruling parties in urban centres. In Sarajevo, an alternative block won. The Serbian secessionists surrounding the obstructive member of the BiH Presidency Milorad Dodik suffered a defeat in their stronghold Banja Luka. The voting was accompanied by massive electoral fraud. By Marion Kraske
Bulgarian-North Macedonia’s history-dispute: Whose “shared history” in the name of which “European values”? The crucial novelty of the Memorandum is its clear distinction of the Joint Commission’s working concepts: it reads that the Macedonian side refuses to accept the concept of "common history" – using "shared history" instead – which in turn undermines the bilateral trust between the two states. By Naum Trajanovski
25 years of separatism Agenda coming ‘in the name of Croats in BiH’ relies almost entirely on the victimology/victorious narrative, with a populist aspiration to preserve the 'nation' endangered by majoritarianism in the Federation BiH. By Lejla Gačanica
Becoming modern, fresh, green and left option for the 21st century: Interview with Tomislav Tomašević Interview One of the most surprising aspects of the recent Croatian parliamentary elections held on July 5th, 2020 was the unexpected success of the Možemo! coalition of few smaller parties leaning to the new-left and green end of political compass. Although Možemo! gained only 7 mandates out of the total of 151 parliamentary seats, their success indicated that a movement based on grassroots activism and fight for green policies, feminism, workers‘ rights and anti-corruption agenda can be viable not only in Croatia, but also in other countries in the region such as Serbia.
The Historic Mostar Agreement: Much Ado About Nothing All the media announced: “An agreement about Mostar has been signed”, “Elections will be held in Mostar” – the news has been popping up everywhere. One would think this historic agreement would “bring back co-existence and democracy”, as the famous Bosnian movie song goes. But is this really the case? By Amna Popovac
Does BiH need an Election Law that integrates or one that, as HDZ proposed, divides? Analysis The Democratic Front (DF) recently tabled amendments to the countries Election Law in parliamentary procedure. Of course, it didn't take long for the HDZ and SNSD headquarters to make it known that they didn't want to talk about it. At the same time, however, the first people of these two parties are threatening to block the state unless the Election Law changes. If, however, they do not want to discuss material put out by DF, the only thing that can be concluded is that the amendments to the Election Law must follow the basic principles under which HDZ operates. So, it’s either the Election Law according to the solutions offered by the HDZ or the combined Čović-Dodik blockade of the state. By Prof. Dr. Slavo Kukić
A European offensive against civil society in North Macedonia Analysis North Macedonia must continue to wait for the start of EU accession negotiations. The European Councils decision has triggered a political crisis in the country. Not only the EU has lost credibility, but also Zoran Zaev's government. It should not be forgotten, however, that the upcoming new elections will once again confront in particular the civil society in North Macedonia with challenges that should not be underestimated. By Laura Meier
Western Balkans: Seizing Opportunities, Expanding Influence and Fending Off Dangers Analysis Why EU-integration? Why should the Western Balkans, a region where criminal networks have been gaining ground and corrupt elites have systematically captured state institutions for the benefit of their own criminal business models, enter the EU? Why, when human rights are trampled upon in the region, with manifestations of nationalist radicalization overall? One can hear these questions repeatedly in the political discourse. By Marion Kraske
Anticipating the October 2019 European Council Summit: Make or Break for North Macedonia’s EU Accession? Report When the European Council decided to grant the status of a candidate country for EU membership to North Macedonia in 2005, nobody could have expected that almost 15 years later the country would still be in the waiting room for the start of accession negotiations for EU membership. In 2009, the European Commission adopted its first recommendation for the start of accession negotiations between the European Union (EU) and North Macedonia. Eleven consecutive recommendations later, North Macedonia is anxiously waiting for the October 2019 meeting of the European Council as the first plausible opportunity in more than a decade to reach the much-coveted goal. By Ivan Damjanovski
Stories that reveal pain - #ISpeakUp movement in North Macedonia Report Sexual Harassment of women and girls is a form of violence against women and girls broadly spread, and in some cultures hard to recognize and define as a form of violence rather than a cultural norm. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. By Irena Cvetkovikj
