LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: Merkel has already delineated us; no agreement in next two-three months (Beta/Tanjug/B92)

 

Speaking during a visit to the Military-Technical Institute in Belgrade, Vucic said that the next meeting with his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci in Brussels in September would be interesting, “to see where we are after everything.” But, he added, he was a bit disappointed with the society’s reactions regarding the German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement that there would not be changes of borders in the Balkans. Vucic said that Merkel had been saying the same thing for ten years and that he heard that from her 5,000 times since she had never changed that stance.  “She has already delineated us - only by separating Kosovo from Serbia,” Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in reaction to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement that she was against changing borders in the Balkans. “The whole western world, with exceptions, they all consider Kosovo to be an indivisible territory that belongs to the Albanians in Pristina. And that’s why I was confused by the hysteria of some people in Serbia. Come on - Sonja Biserko and Sava Janjic have always been in favor of an independent Kosovo. But they stand for an Albanian independent Kosovo, and that’s why they fought against Serbia gaining anything, and then some individuals in Serbia joined them.” The president said he had been brave enough to ask for something more for the Serbs and Serbia from Angela Merkel, and Vladimir Putin, and Mike Pence, and Emmanuel Macron. As for Merkel’s position, Vucic said it has been the same for ten years now, since Germany recognized Kosovo as independent. “This will last longer than many have planned, and you can forget that it would end in two-three months,” Vucic said.

 

Dacic promises documents needed for lawsuit against NATO (Beta)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has promised to provide all the documents needed for law suits against NATO over the 1999 bombing campaign. “Serbia will provide all necessary documents for those law suits,” Dacic told reporters at Monday’s commemoration for two Kosovo Serb boys killed 15 years ago. He said the group of Serbian citizens which formed the civil association named Depleted Uranium had launched an initiative to file law suits against NATO member states and demand compensation for private individuals. He said the Serbian government tried to sue those countries earlier but failed. Dacic told the media that Italian soldiers who were deployed in Kosovo had sued their government over the deployment to areas targeted with depleted uranium munitions which made them sick.

 

Odalovic: Belgrade won’t accept current situation with Kosovo (N1)

 

The General Secretary of the Serbian Foreign Ministry Veljko Odalovic told N1 on Tuesday that the idea of delineation had many different types, but avoided to elaborate on them. He says that different terms are on the table: partition, correction (of borders), delineation, demarcation, delimitation, and that it shows that there are enough courageous people to discuss it. He added that Belgrade would not verify the existing state, “since we get nothing.” “We will have our ideas, but they won’t in any way exclude a compromise because we want it,” he said.

Odalovic added that the talks about all types of delineation were held in Washington, Moscow, Paris, Brussels, Germany and that China had its stand. He said it was good news that that topic was on the agenda in all those centers because “just a year ago, Kosovo was a done deal for many. Today, they are aware that the situation in Kosovo is not good for the Serbs.”

“I would be the happiest person in the world if Pristina and Belgrade could find a solution without anyone else because they have their interests and sometimes bury their heads in the sand, pretending it’s all over,” Odalovic said. Speaking about the Brussels agreement, he said that all points had been honored except the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) in Kosovo and blamed the European Union, which facilitated the Belgrade – Pristina dialogue, for being weak and not “positively aggressive toward Pristina.” “Pristina behaves in that manner because it is not under any pressure,” Odalovic said.

 

Russia willing to open status of RS (Novosti)

 

On the eve of visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Banja Luka, Novosti learns that Russia might be willing to support the RS when it comes to self-determination in connection to solution of Kosovo issue. The daily unofficially learned that Lavrov will convey this message to RS President Milorad Dodik during his visit to B&H on September 16 and 17 and noted that Moscow already used unofficial channels to let Banja Luka and Belgrade know that Dodik’s firm stance on this matter was noticed with great attention. Political analyst Dragomir Andjelkovic told the daily that there is no doubt Russia will support the intention of Banja Luka to ask for a chair in the United Nations in case the final solution for Kosovo “goes in that direction” and he reminded that Moscow warned on several occasions that a solution for Kosovo cannot be treated as a specific case but only as a type of model for future. “The arrival of Lavrov to Banja Luka is yet another signal that Moscow sees both Serbia and RS as its strategic partners in the Balkans but it is also a demonstration of support to Dodik who represents a guarantee for Russia that B&H will not join the NATO,” Andjelkovic concluded. Assistant at the Institute for European Studies Slobodan Zecevic said that Russia has always been trying to provide “good services” to Serbia and RS when it comes to their interests and he added that it will be necessary to first close the subject of Kosovo before opening new subjects, such as the situation in B&H in general. At the same time, a source from B&H Council of Ministers told the daily that Lavrov will use his visit to Sarajevo to request additional explanations regarding the list of Russian citizens who are unwanted in B&H, i.e. who were banned from entering B&H. According to unofficial information, the black list was signed by B&H Minister of Security Dragan Mektic and sources told the daily that Mektic even admitted to Russian Ambassador to B&H Petr Ivantsov that he approved the list but he did not want to show it to him. Reportedly, Mektic told Ivantsov that the list was compiled following an investigation carried out by the Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA) of B&H with Osman Mehmedagic at the helm.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Zvizdic meets Chancellor Merkel in Berlin: All Western Balkans countries have European perspective (TV1/BHT1)

 

Chairman of the Council of Ministers (CoM) of B&H Denis Zvizdic met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday. Following the meeting, the officials said that all Western Balkan countries have the European perspective and enjoy the support of Germany. TV1 reported that the officials sent clear messages to the public; there are no legal gaps in B&H and changing of borders in the Western Balkans is impossible. German Chancellor Merkel said that membership in the NATO and the EU is the most important priority for B&H. The reporter noted that despite of some tendencies and wishes to change borders in the Balkans once again, Merkel sent a clear message by saying: “The European perspective for all Western Balkan countries exists. B&H strives to join the EU, which is why we must provide B&H answers to hundreds of questions. We encouraged the government to answer the follow-up questions”. Addressing media following the meeting, Zvizdic said that the European integration of B&H was and remains the most important foreign-policy goal of B&H. He stressed: “I must say that without the German-British initiative launched in 2014, it would be impossible to launch European processes in B&H”. According to TV1, activation of the Membership Action Plan is an important message for strengthening of peace and security and the Election Law of B&H must be reformed. Merkel underlined: “Unfortunately, reform of the election legislation was not carried out by now. The Venice Commission can represent the key support”. Commenting on this issue, Zvizdic said that he and Merkel underlined the need to adopt the Law on the Criminal Procedure of B&H in line with international standards and in line with a proposal of the law that guarantees independence and efficiency of judiciary at the level of B&H, which seven Embassies and all international institutions already supported. Zvizdic said that B&H has four priorities: the EU and NATO integration, economic development, strengthening of the rule of law and preservation of peace and security. The EU integration, B&H’s top foreign-policy objective, has no alternative. Zvizdic also mentioned that B&H’s economic indicators are moving in positive direction, but further reforms are still needed. According to Zvizdic, the second major priority is the activation of the NATO Membership Action Plan, as it will send an important message about peace and stability in B&H, as well as the whole region. As for the migrant crisis in B&H, Merkel stated that she believes the EU will exert efforts to support B&H when it comes to this issue, noting that increased influx of migrants in B&H is possible to resolve in cooperation with neighboring countries. She concluded that Germany will also offer its assistance, but that “illegal migrations cannot be the path through which B&H will reach Europe.” Zvizdic stressed that the EU integration is the most important foreign-political goal of B&H. Speaking about the migrant crisis in the country, Zvizdic thanked the EU for the assistance and added that B&H wants to be composing part of an integral European solution to this problem. “None of the migrants want to stay in B&H and none of them Was approved asylum as their intention is to go to the EU. We have to resolve this issue with our neighbors from the East and West,” Zvizdic concluded.

 

Merkel: Germany advocates for BiH to receive FRONTEX support (Jutarnji list/Slobodna -bosna.ba)

 

Following the meeting with Zvizdic, Merkel stated that Germany advocates for B&H to receive support of European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX). Daily noted that Zvizdic paid a visit to Berlin upon Merkel’s invitation, adding that B&H is becoming a hotspot for migrants, who are using its long border with Croatia in an attempt to illegally reach the EU, most notably Germany. Merkel thanked Zvizdic for humane treatment of migrants, despite B&H’s internal issues and added that she and Zvizdic discussed causes of increased influx of migrants. “This issue can be solved only in cooperation with Serbia and Croatia. I believe that the EU will attempt everything to support B&H in this matter,” said Merkel. According to portal Slobodna-bosna.ba, Zvizdic informed Merkel that more than 10,000 migrants arrived to B&H this year and more than 6,000 left B&H in the meantime. He added that B&H is managing to provide care to all migrants at the time and added that reactivation of the so-called ‘Balkan route’ will demand technical assistance of FRONTEX. “We will remain to be part of integral European solution for migrant issues and we will follow EU’s guidelines and maintain the same level of humanitarian engagement,” said Zvizdic. Merkel stressed that it is necessary to work on solving the cause of the migrant crisis, which is not B&H. “Negotiations with Greece on this matter are progressing, while it will take some more time with Italy”, said Merkel.

 

Opposition RS MPs fail to attend consultations with Dodik on report on Srebrenica (RTRS)

 

At its special session scheduled for Tuesday the RS Assembly will discuss information on report on developments in Srebrenica in the period July 10-19 1995 prepared by the commission formed by the RS government in 2004. RS President Milorad Dodik organized consultations related to this session on Monday. Consultations were attended by RS Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic, RS Assembly speaker Nedeljko Cubrilovic, leader of DNS Marko Pavic, SP RS’ leader Petar Djokic, RS Assembly deputy speaker Nenad Stevandic, Head of SNSD Caucus in the RS Assembly Radovan Viskovic and President of the RS Center for Research of War, War Crimes and Search for Missing Persons Milorad Kojic. Representatives of the opposition parties in the RS failed to attend the consultations organized by Dodik. Head of SNSD Caucus in B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Stasa Kosarac stated that it is sad that representatives of SDS and PDP, parties that led the RS government in the period when the abovementioned report was created, do not want to be part of the solution. “Once again, they succumbed to pressure from Sarajevo,” explained Kosarac. Kosarac underlined that he is disappointed with the fact SDS and PDP have been rejecting the opportunity where all Serb political parties would take a single stance on this issue.

 

Dodik: Idea is to have objective and accurate approach to events in Srebrenica during past war and cover suffering of everyone (ATV)

 

ATV broadcasted live RS President Milorad Dodik's press conference which was held after Monday's consultations in Banja Luka at which representatives of parliamentary parties from the RS were supposed to take an unanimous position ahead of the August 14 special session of the RS Assembly at which representatives will discuss the Information on the 2004 Srebrenica Commission Report. Dodik said that he believed it was his duty to launch an initiative to discuss the Srebrenica Commission Report in the RS Assembly and adopt certain guidelines. Dodik stressed that many used the Report which was written in 2004 to create certain atmosphere, noting that there are many inaccuracies in the Report itself. "I believe that it is necessary to do two things. The first was for me to launch an initiative with the RS Assembly to discuss the situation surrounding this Report with the clear intention that we do not have neither desire nor need to hide any kind of information about the suffering of Bosniaks and to simply treat every name and every suffering of Bosniaks with equal attention because they are victims. At the same time, there is clear intention to potentiate a framework in which thy myth about Srebrenica which is trying to be created is happening, and that is that any kind of suffering of Serbs from that area has been left out. There is no suffering of Serbs in that Report although there was suffering of Serbs during the period of time that the Report covers. This shows that this Report was tendentiously created and that it has to lose its validity in terms of a discussion in the RS Assembly about it," Dodik underlined. Dodik stressed that his idea is to have an objective and accurate approach to the events in Srebrenica during the past war, i.e. during the period from 1992 to 1995, and to cover the suffering of everyone in the area so that one could have insight into the whole truth. "We have no intention of excluding any suffering. As far as this Report is concerned, it excluded the suffering of Serbs and created room for a number of speculations about that," Dodik said. Dodik further said that he wanted to build consensus of all political factors in the RS when it comes to the issue of Srebrenica Commission Report. "I invited representatives of the so-called opposition to attend today's (Monday's) meeting. Their excuses are completely inappropriate for this moment, they are irresponsible and primarily show that they fear mentors who told them not to attend this meeting," Dodik underlined. Dodik said that he feels sorry for the representatives of the opposition parties, noting that Monday's meeting was an opportunity for them to show that they are human beings who are capable of taking part in correcting the mistakes which their policies made in the past. "They can say whatever they want about Milorad Dodik and these authorities, but this was not only our issue," Dodik said. Dodik reiterated that the RS authorities do not have an intention to deny murders and crimes that took place. "But, it is impossible to accept the fact that there are malversations with people who were killed then," Dodik stressed. Dodik said that the goal is to form an international commission which would deal with both the suffering of Serbs in Sarajevo during the period from 1992 to 1995 and suffering in Podrinje area during the same period of time. He added that it was concluded at the abovementioned consultations that the RS Assembly will be requested to task the RS government to form a special commission that will prepare the report on suffering of Serbs in Sarajevo in the period 1991-1995. He underlined that it was also concluded that it is necessary to form the international commission that will consist of recognized experts that will create report on suffering of Serbs in Sarajevo, as well as report on developments in Srebrenica in July 1995. Talking about claims of the opposition parties that this issue should have been resolved earlier, Dodik underlined that the opposition had years to request resolving of it but they did not do this because they did not have courage. Dodik stressed that abovementioned report on Srebrenica from 2004 is full of incorrect data, adding that its aim was to change character of war in B&H.

 

Citizens of Bihac protest due to migrant crisis in this city (N1)

 

Peaceful protest of citizens ‘Why Bihac?’ was held at a central square in Bihac on Monday. This protest was organized with a goal to express discontent with the migrant crisis in this part of B&H (Una-Sana Canton). Reporter commented that only several dozen citizens attended this gathering. Some of participants stated that their goal is to call on B&H authorities to engage more actively and to impose urgent measures to resolve the migrant crisis in the USC. Reporter carries statement of participants of the abovementioned gathering where some stated that Bihac does not have capacity to accommodate migrants and that B&H authorities should resolve this problem. Reporter commented that although it was expected, one of organizers of this protest, high school professor Sej Ramic did not address this protest. Representatives of Bihac Civic Initiative stated that they did not allow Ramic’s address because of his political activism. On the other hand, Ramic said that he was not allowed to speak because he wanted one of migrants (Muhamed Ali from Pakistan) to address people. In a statement for N1, one migrant said that they call on B&H authorities to provide better conditions for accommodation of migrants. Mayor of Bihac Suhret Fazlic underlined that local authorities and citizens of Bihac have been requesting competent B&H authorities for months to provide proper accommodation premises for migrants. Fazlic stressed that they do not have anything against the migrants, stressing that this was not a xenophobic gathering. Fazlic deemed the attitude of B&H authorities towards the authorities in Bihac and Velika Kladusa as disastrous. President of the Bihac Citizens' Initiative Halid Dedic underlined that currently migrants make up about ten percent of the population of the city of Bihac. Several migrants attended the protests in Bihac, stressing that they want the same thing as the protesters and reiterating that they do not want to stay in B&H, but reach the EU. According to police estimates, more than 4,000 migrants are currently staying in Bihac.

 

Zaev: I put aside vanity, friendship with Bulgaria should be nurtured and built on (Meta)

 

I’m doing everything in my power to build friendship. You see that I put my vanity aside, I want to build a sincere friendship. Bulgaria is a partner of Macedonia and has proved it several times and we are right not to forget it, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said in answer to a journalist question about whether Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s statement should not be seen as a threat to Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. “I appeal to everybody that together we put aside the political interests, blatant populism and deal with what really does challenge us, and not be careless. We confirmed the agreement with Bulgaria with our signatures, but we should nurture and build it up and constantly strive towards building a better friendship that is in the common interest of both countries and the both peoples and the following generations. We should all pay attention and contribute to this mutual friendship”, Zaev said. He also answered the question, whether the two countries would finally agree on the “Ilinden” uprising, he replied that we are already marking it as part of our joint common history. Regarding the campaign concerning the referendum Zaev says that the campaign will be stepped up in public and will serve to make people look at the agreement and see that the identity has been confirmed and that the Macedonian language is guaranteed. “Government will discuss at a session tomorrow and decide how to help concerning the informative part of the campaign in order the 3 % who have already read the agreement, will become 100 %,” Zaev said.

 

Government to launch information campaign ahead of upcoming referendum in Macedonia (MIA)

 

The government is set to launch information rather than propagandist campaign for the 30 September referendum, Vice-Premier for European Affairs Bujar Osmani told reporters on Monday. “Citizens should not be convinced but informed about the (Skopje-Athens name) agreement, as the poll results show that only 3% of citizens have read the document,” Osmani said. The campaign, he said, aims to inform citizens about the benefits of implementing the name agreement, which offers a unique opportunity for Macedonia to join the European Union and NATO, as well as about possible consequences of unsuccessful referendum.

 

Mickoski on the referendum: The wrong answer is worse than no answer (Meta)

 

There is a proverb which says that the wrong answer is worse than no answer, replied the president of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE to a journalist’s question as to whether VMRO-DPMNE will campaign against or boycott the referendum. “If you are asking for VMRO-DPMNE to disclose its position, then you will have to wait for the party to finish all its consultations, and only then will we come out with an official position and the public will be notified in a timely manner. The “Summer for Macedonia” campaign is taking place and VMRO-DPMNE is constantly out in the field and among the public. We talk to hundreds of citizens on a daily basis, and we also consult party bodies. In the upcoming period we will be meeting with the Executive and Central Committee of the party,” said Mickoski. According to the opposition leader, citizens need reform in the economy, education and health; they do not need tenders which are rigged and are given to friends and relatives. “Everything happening in Macedonia today is a failure and from where I’m standing everything SDSM has promised, remains blank. I appeal to all politicians to appreciate their profession as a voluntary position because serious reforms are necessary, essentially in the very mentality of a politician,” said Mickoski.

 

SDSM: Mickoski to declare whether he is for NATO and the EU or defends criminal activity (Meta)

 

Hristijan Mickoski and VMRO-DPMNE have not yet disclosed their position regarding the referendum, they have no clear stance on the most important issues for the state and the people. For a whole decade VMRO-DPMNE talked about a referendum and the right of the people to choose the road that the country would move in the future, and now, when the referendum is certain, they do not have a clear position, the statement read from the ruling SDSM party.

“This shows how frivolous and how irresponsible the attitude of the opposition party is and its leadership to the citizens and the future of the state, as well. The EU and NATO are our future. Anyone who wants a prosperous future, with a preserved and strengthened identity, will support the referendum on which the people will have the final say. It’s time for Mickoski to prove himself by acting upon it. If he wants Macedonia to have a future in NATO and the EU, he should urge VMRO-DPMNE members to vote on the referendum and choose a future”, the party statement said. Otherwise, SDSM added, Miskovski will show that he is lying and that he is actually defending criminal activity, as his predecessor, and is for the isolation, backwardness and uncertainty of the country.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Bosnian Politics for Dummies: Pre-Election Campaign (BIRN, by Srecko Latal, 13 August 2018)

 

Threats, big words and empty promises – it’s election season in Bosnia. But does it really have to be like this?

If there was an instruction manual for aspiring Bosnian politicians – a kind of ‘Bosnian Politics for Dummies’ – it would be a short one:

Step One: Choose the electorate that will eventually vote you into power;

Step Two: Identify an issue that you deem most crucial and dear to your electorate;

Step Three: Identify an enemy, real or imaginary, who poses the greatest threat to the aforementioned crucial issue;

Step Four: Urgently and dramatically inform your electorate that their most precious issue is in danger and promise to protect it at any cost.

Repeat Step Four during an election campaign three times per day, if possible after meals.

For extra credits, spice up your election campaign with regular promises of heavenly riches for your electorate as long as you stay in power and threaten the apocalypse or similar doomsday scenario if they by any chance remove you from power. Final notes: In your campaigns, accuse your direct political opponents of any and all acts of corruption and crime known to humankind. In case you face any criticism, regardless of whether it is founded or not, present it as a direct attack on your constituency. Small print: Consistency, relevance or logic are not required for any of your positions or statements since your electorate will not remember it for more than five minutes after it has been uttered. Success is guaranteed if you manage to establish control over, or cooperation with, a local media organisation. That many politicians in the Balkans behave according to just this kind of manual is one of the main reasons why Bosnia has been falling deeper and deeper into political, economic and social crisis at least for past decade.

 

Balkan Politics: Much Ado About Nothing

Yet, a new general election is just around the corner, in October, and the party campaigns are in full swing. As a result, the local media scene and social networks are overflowing with radical rhetoric, empty promises and all sorts of other heated debates. As an example, in his latest interview for the Serbian-based Blic newspaper on Sunday, the president of Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska and the leader of its ruling party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, Milorad Dodik, once again promised the peaceful dissolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and eventual independence of Republika Srpska.

By utilizing this theme, Dodik has managed to stay in power in RS for a full 15 years, giving the longest political ‘winning streak’ of any politician since the end of Bosnia’s 1992-95 war.

The fact that any unilateral move towards secession of RS would result in another conflict, which almost all Serbs reject, does not seem to affect the success of Dodik’s politics. The same goes for the waning economy, social and public services of RS. Despite Dodik's full control over its highly centralised administration, RS economically keeps growing weaker when compared to Bosnia's other entity, the much more expensive, complex and dysfunctional Federation of BiH, yet this too does not seem to have much effect on Dodik's constituency. Dodik is far from being the only inspiration – if not the proud author – of many chapters of the ‘Bosnian politics for Dummies’ handbook. For the past several years, the Bosnian Croat member of the presidency and the leader of the main Croat party, the Croat Democratic Union, HDZ, Dragan Covic, has been successfully utilising the theme of greater Bosnian Croat autonomy, embodied in the recreation of the war-time Bosnian Croat entity, Herceg-Bosna. This campaign ignored the fact that many – if not most – Bosnian Croats were against this idea and were leaving the country for the EU, frustrated by their own political representatives. Meanwhile, the Bosniak ‘political champion, Bosniak member of the presidency and the head of the main Bosniak Party of Democratic Action, SDA, Bakir Izetbegovic, built his campaigns on the fears felt by Bosniaks towards Croat and/or Serb nationalists and every now and then promised to defend Bosnia, even by arms if need be. The fact that such rhetoric only played into the hands of Croat and Serb nationalist ideas and gradually kept undermining the country seemed utterly lost to Izetbegovic.

With these intrigues, plots, tricks and duels, performed on a daily basis, Bosnian politics at times resembles Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Albeit, instead of a comedy, this performance seems to be driving the country into yet another tragedy, and unlike in the play, the reality will hardly end with the words ‘they happily lived ever after.’

 

Balkan politicians - global trendsetters

For many years, Western diplomats and academics, as well as local analysts and other pundits, were trying to fathom why does this ungainly political approach worked so well in Bosnia from one election to another. Some cited the absence of political alternatives, while others blamed the faulty Dayton constitutional framework, the ignorance of Western powers and the self-sustainable networks of local patronage. Many of them slated Bosnia and the rest of the Balkans for falling behind Western democratic principles. Yet some recent political developments in the Western world – from Britain's controversial Brexit referendum to the EU's own growing internal strife or the peculiar election and subsequent erratic behaviour of US President Donald Trump - cast Bosnian and Balkan politics in a slightly different light. This was best explained in the words of Alexander Nix of the controversial British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica (CA), which became globally (in)famous for its role in American political races including Trump's own campaign as well as in Brexit, utilising, among other things, the personal data of Facebook users. The fact that CA's role in some of these campaigns has been highly controversial, that some of its work has been the subject of ongoing criminal investigations in both the US and UK and that CA's methods of targeting voters have been questioned and disputed by many political scientists and experts, still cannot disguise the fact that CA's clients in both the US presidential election and the UK referendum won against the odds. "There’s no good fighting an election campaign on the facts because actually it's all about emotion," Nix has been quoted as saying. This statement also explains the general, fast-spreading global political malaise of the 21st century. Yet this notion – that elections are not about issues but about emotions – has been recognised and utilised by Balkan politicians since the violent breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. If this is so – and it certainly seems to be the case – then this means that Bosnian or any other Balkan politicians have not been falling behind Western democratic trends, as Western officials and diplomats claimed. Instead, they were global political trendsetters who have been ahead of their Western colleagues by at least three decades. As a result, instead of the democratisation of the Balkans, we have been witnessing in recent years and months the balkanisation of Western democracy. And just as many global politicians seem to be racing to catch up with the Balkan political model, the world seems to be entering a phase of great tension, instability and uncertainty, which the Balkans entered three decades ago. So the world should be watching the Balkans, as an indicator of its own fate. What a simple and encouraging thought.

Srecko Latal is a journalist, editor and analyst who has been covering the Balkans since the 1990s.

The opinions expressed in the Comment section are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of BIRN.