Bosnia and Herzegovina

Genocide denial and the glorification of war criminals continues to present a “serious challenge” to reconciliation efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, said this week.

Months after the October 2022 elections, Bosnia finally has a new state-level government – albeit with only a tiny majority in the state-level parliament.

Separatist leader awards Russian president with medal for ‘patriotic concern’ for Bosnia’s Republika Srpska entity.

The UN Security Council agreed unanimously Wednesday to support the renewal of the European peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, although Russia expressed some reservations.

Milorad Dodik, the most powerful Bosnian Serb politician, staged a rally in Banja Luka after the Central Election Commission ordered a recount of ballots in the Republika Srpska entity’s presidential poll, which he claimed to have won.

The European Commission, in its annual reports on Western Balkan states’ progress towards EU membership, offered the prospect of candidate status for Bosnia and urged all countries to press ahead with reforms despite internal political crises.

Republika Srpska entity, citing irregularities during the election process, sparking an angry reaction from Milorad Dodik.

High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina Christian Schmidt says he's pleased with the "definite momentum" in the Balkan country since his dramatic election-night intervention to alter and unblock key institutions.

The general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina were competitive and overall well organised with fundamental freedoms respected during the campaign. However, failed reform efforts, a widespread mistrust in public institutions, and ethnically divisive rhetoric continued to mark the election environment, international observers said in a statement today.

A pre-election standoff between Bosniaks and Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken an ugly turn, with rhetoric from the 1990s war reappearing. Ideally, politicians would make the reforms needed to settle the quarrel but, if not, the internationally appointed high representative should do so.