There is no “optimistic outlook” for Sunday’s elections in Bosnia. For example, Austrian ambassador Ulrike Hartmann in Sarajevo sees “more of the same” – which is “quite negative”. Mass emigration will continue, the main reasons being job search, corruption and an unstable political situation. Topics such as the EU and climate change were not even addressed in the election campaign. However, it is important who belongs to which ethnic group.
Austria is doing everything it can to ensure that the focus is on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Brussels. We can help, but the changes have to come from within,” Hartmann says.
Corresponding laws implementing EU standards should be adopted. Foreign investment by the private sector also depended on the rule of law.
Unemployment rises to 40 percent
The Bosnian ambassador in Vienna, Kemal Kozaric, also spoke of political instability in the country and disappointment among the population. Unemployment is 21 percent and among young people 40 percent. It is “normal” for young people to look around for opportunities. According to this data, 170,000 people from Bosnia and Herzegovina live in Austria. Half of them have an Austrian passport.
Bosnia and Herzegovina receives about two billion euros annually from the entire diaspora. There is a demand for “new skills, new knowledge, new habits”, not just emigration and money from abroad.
EU as draft horse
Ambassador Hartmann stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina needed to better communicate the benefits of the EU to the population. “The EU must of course be a kind of draft horse,” Hartmann said of the candidate status. But the country itself must also send out signals: “We want to.” People need to understand that it’s not about “imposing” something.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
