Brussels, 14/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - Despite NATO military presence on the ground during several years and that of the European Union since 1 January 2005, Bosnia-Herzegovina still has a long way to go. The lack of security, economic recovery and the constitution of a Bosnian nation are among the challenges still to be raised, a delegation of the European Parliament headed by the chair of the sub-committee on defence and security at the European Parliament, Karl von Wogau, said. From 5 to 7 April, the delegation was in Sarajevo and Mostar to meet representatives of the European Commission and the Luxembourg EU Council Presidency there, as well as the commander of the EU mission, General David Leakey, Bosnian Security Minister Barisa Colak, and representatives of the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims' Assistance. Karl von Wogau will soon be presenting a report on his visit to Bosnia to the EP foreign affairs committee, whose chairman, Elmar Brok, was also on the trip.
Insecurity is certainly the main problem in Bosnia and the challenge that must be raised by the EU-led Althea mission on the ground, which took over from the NATO-led SFOR. Karl von Wogau explained to Atlantic News that, initially, people feared the EU would be less effective than NATO in ensuring security. Even though the security situation has in fact improved, “it is necessary to develop a security strategy for Bosnia which includes Kosovo and Macedonia”, especially in order to prevent the uprisings of March 2004 in Kosovo from happening again. While remaining ready to intervene in a “robust” manner to protect minorities where necessary, EU troops must also do more to “establish a climate of trust” with Bosnians as ”we still have the feeling that there is a gap between population and military”, von Wogau continued. The eleven deputies welcomed the initiatives taken by the Althea command on the ground, which makes its troops take part in civil projects. Another challenge still requiring work is the search for war criminals, the very top priority for the EU mission's commander. Although undeniable progress has been made recently, “there are still war criminals on the run” and, for now, “it is still too early to say that the EU mission has accomplished” the objectives it set itself, the German MEP said.
The lack of security in the country is certainly one of the factors that has put a brake on economic development in Bosnia where the unemployment rate is 40%, von Wogau continued. “Without work, it is very difficult to find solutions to other problems”. Also, the number of mines still disseminated over Bosnian territory in no way improves the situation. “By 2010, the most dangerous mines will have been removed but there will still be many mine fields left in the country”, which prevents tourism from developing in Bosnia. The chairman of the Parliament's sub-committee on security and defence therefore considers that the international community, including the European Union, “must make a further effort to provide funding and technology to ensure mine clearance” in the country. Finally, although one million refugees have already been able to return home since the end of the war, an effort must still be made to ensure that another 250,000 persons can return home, he added.
Overriding all these problems, however, is the largest challenge facing the country, that of ensuring peaceful co-existence between the different communities to form a real Bosnian nation. “Considerable progress has been made to repair the material damage caused by the war but underlying problems remain”, von Wogau said, stating that, even today, years after the end of the war, “it is very difficult to speak of a Bosnian nation” as the uprisings in March 2004 in Kosovo showed. “The different communities do not seem to be very resolved to move forward together”, he concluded.