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Bosnia and Herzegovina Between the EU and Russian Influence : Interview with Alen Gudalo.
Since December 15, 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina has officially been recognized as a candidate for EU membership. Like other Western Balkan countries, it must meet the demanding criteria of this process in order to hope to join the EU. However, the path ahead remains fraught with challenges. The country, most deeply marked by the wars of the former Yugoslavia, still struggles to overcome its wounds and is distinguished by a unique administrative, political, and cultural complexity in the region. To better understand these challenges, I had the opportunity to speak with Alen Gudalo, Programme Coordinator for Monitoring European Integration in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Structural Blockages and European Perspectives of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Coordination Mechanism: A Complex and Imperfect Structure
The coordination mechanism, implemented in 2016, aims to ensure a coherent position for Bosnia and Herzegovina on EU-related issues. It involves over 1,400 civil servants from different levels of governance (state, entities, cantons, and Brčko district) and relies on 36 working groups covering the legislative areas required for European integration. However, this system, while necessary, suffers from bureaucratic inefficiencies and structural flaws. The decisions made are not legally binding and must be validated by the 14 governments involved, a process often blocked by political rivalries. In the absence of a clear national strategy for adopting European standards, this mechanism becomes a tool of veto, more often used to defend partisan interests than to advance European integration. It is, therefore, a symbol of internal power struggles.
As Alen Gudalo explains, “In the Bosnian context, this mechanism has nothing to do with the EU anymore. It has become a simple veto tool, used every time a political party feels it can gain an advantage.” Indeed, this veto power, intended to ensure the protection of ethnic and political sensitivities, is now used to block even technical processes. Alen Gudalo cites the example of the growth agenda, a purely economic document, which was delayed by four cantons under the influence of a single political party. “This is how Bosnia functions, or rather, how it doesn’t function.”
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