Roadblocks and Expectations in the Process of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Accession to the European Union

1. Background

Bosnia and Herzegovina is an example of a state which stayed imprisoned by their own political system, which was envisioned as a temporary framework for restitution of peace. We can divide exogenous intervention in two phases, first is diplomatic and military pressure for the end of war and second is state-building process which continues to this day. Just after a peace agreement International community started process of the state-building by creating peace regime through “humble consociationalism” (Barakat & Zyck, 2009, p. 1075). Despite the diplomatic fiasco during the wars in Yugoslavia, later actions offered hope that EU can establish itself as a regional power in Southeast Europe. After the end of the wars, the EU tried to redefine its position in relation to the region, but also to the United States, which was a key, and probably the only truly influential actor in the area during the conflict. Some authors have interpreted the gradual withdrawal of the United States from Southeast Europe after the conflict as a way of leaving the region to a natural ally, which is the EU (Hadžikadunić, 2005, p. 23). Of course, there are other important actors in Western Balkans. There is Turkey with its traditional links with the Balkans through their common Ottoman past and the usage of religion that has severe repercussions in the region. (Koppa, M. E., 2021) Also, China’s increased economic engagement with post-communist countries in the Western Balkans in the last decade has added to the complexity of democratic consolidation in the region, with possible negative impacts on the established process of European integration of these countries. (Khaze & Wang, 2021) Of course, there are concerns about Russia’s resurgent presence in the Western Balkans and the impact this could have on European Union enlargement. Despite the fact that Russia’s economic presence is dwarfed by that of the EU, Russia has been very successful in taking advantage of its soft power and cultivating the perception that it is a crucial strategic partner that cares more about the region’s interests than the EU does. (Panagiotou, 2020) Recognizing the impact of these forces on the Western Balkans, it must be emphasized, however, that the focus of this chapter is primarily on EU-B&H relations.