Bosnia and Herzegovina

Overview of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina witnessed a shift in the approach to the issue of missing persons; from a framework led by humanitarian goals, the country moved to strong legal framework based on which resolving the cases of missing persons is within the authority of relevant state institutions dealing with the rule of law and their judicial system.

Bosnia and Herzegovina faces three simultaneous and mutually-reinforcing challenges: structural problems embedded in the Dayton Accords that have empowered ethno-nationalists who hold the country back; endemic corruption; and severe economic difficulties.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Croatians and Serbs looked to Serbia and Croatia for guidance and as the mother country and both had aspirations for political union with either Serbia or Croatia once the Yugoslav state began to fall apart in the early 1990s.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina, Босна и Херцеговина, usually shortened to BiH, and locally referred to as simply Bosnia in most of the country) [8] is a European country located on the Balkan peninsula.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is a highly decentralized parliamentary republic whose complex constitutional regime is embedded in the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the 1992–95 Bosnian War.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress on this issue should be seen in the context of a developed policy framework incorporating international standards of technical and administrative capacity.

Bosnia and Herzegovina – along with other Western Balkans countries – was identified as a potential candidate for EU membership during the Thessaloniki European Council summit in June 2003.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s declaration of sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a national referendum.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is ranked 40th among 45 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is below the regional average but above the world average.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 0-1 FRANCE: Antonie Griezmann scored the winning goal as France made it back-to-back World Cup qualifying wins on Wednesday.

Population

Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and Roman Catholicism are all present, with the three faiths generally corresponding to three major ethnic groups: Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats, respectively.The land has often felt the influences of stronger regional powers that have vied for control over it, and these influences have helped to create Bosnia and Herzegovina’s characteristically rich ethnic and religious mix.This multiethnic population, as well as the country’s historical and geographic position between Serbia and Croatia, has long made Bosnia and Herzegovina vulnerable to nationalist territorial aspirations.

Size

A central question is how to rationalize or reform the power of the entities, empower the state government to take on the responsibilities and authority required to meet NATO and EU requirements, and give the country’s municipalities and Brčko District the resources needed to provide public services.A first basket of issues relates to how decisions are made.Consideration should also be given to how critical decision-making bodies could be unblocked, how the power of ethnically-based political parties can be circumscribed, what types of cross-ethnic electoral incentives could be introduced, and how party patronage networks can be dismantled.Currently, most power resides with the country’s two entities – Republika Srpska and the Federation.Some current ideas include changing or reducing the powers of the House of Peoples, reducing or removing the requirement for bloc entity voting in the Parliamentary Assembly, changing the size and role of the parliament, and amending the election law so that Bosnia and Herzegovina can move from ethnocracy to more representative democracy.The entities are the territorial expression of the warring parties of the 1990s and have preserved the political power of ethnic nationalists for 25 years.They are responsible for much of the dysfunctionality and resistance to reform that characterizes Bosnia and Herzegovina today.

What does TRIAL International do in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

TRIAL International has been working on Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2008.Its support first consisted of free legal assistance to victims of the war.It has achieved great victories before national courts and international bodies.New cases are now rarer, but the organization continues to support some of its earliest beneficiaries, simply because they still have rights to invoke – including the right to receive reparations for their sufferings.

Why join?

Watch our editor-in-chief Koert Debeuf explain the reasons in this 30-second video.

Are credit cards widely accepted in Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Credit cards are commonly accepted throughout Sarajevo but options may be more limited outside the city.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone while in Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Mobile phone coverage is fairly good in most areas.Ensure you have global roaming activated with your carrier if you wish to use your phone.

Dayton Agreement at 25: How is the peace deal viewed today in Serbia?

The Dayton Agreement was a peace deal signed 25 years ago to end the 1992-1995 Bosnian War.

Already a member?

Login here.

Contact us?

WHO Regional Office for Europe
UN City
Marmorvej 51
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø
Denmark
Tel.

Can I drink the water in Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Tap water is considered safe to drink in Bosnia and Herzegovina; however, due to the different mineral content, some people may get stomach upsets from drinking the water if they aren’t used to it.A better option is to find filtered water rather than rely on bottled water.

What is the internet access like in Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Internet access is readily available in most towns.

Why join?

Watch our editor-in-chief Koert Debeuf explain the reasons in this 30-second video.

What public holidays are celebrated in Bosnia & Herzegovina ?

Please note these dates are for 2017.For a current list of public holidays in Bosnia & Herzegovina go to: http://www.worldtravelguide.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before travelling to Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Absolutely.All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of your trip.Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip.Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

New normal: How far is safe enough?

How countries are adapting social distancing rules and what we know about the risks of coronavirus in public places.

From Australia?

Go to: http://www.smartraveller.gov.

From UK?

Go to: http://www.fco.gov.

What is ATM access like in Bosnia & Herzegovina?

ATMs are becoming more common throughout the country, however it’s advisable to carry a supply of cash just in case.

Why is Germany rushing a new Bosnia high representative?

The Office of the High Representative, tasked with coordinating international actors and ensuring implementation of the non-military components of the 1995 Dayton peace accords, has languished for a decade and a half.

Already a member?

Login here.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries.Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

Does new EU-ACP deal really 'decolonise' aid?

Since 2018, when the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries started negotiations on the deal that would replace the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, calls for "de-colonising aid" and a strong role for local actors in development have grown.

What are the toilets like in Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Western-style, flushable toilets are the norm throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Where Is Bosnia And Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a Balkan country, formerly part of Yugoslavia, which gained its independence in 1992.It has a population of 3.8 million and is almost entirely landlocked, with the exception of its 20km Adriatic coastline.

From US?

Go to: http://travel.state.

From Canada?

Go to: https://travel.gc.

Will Romania be EU's Green Deal laggard?

Of the €30bn allocated to Romania under the EU recovery fund, just four percent is slated to go to renewable energy and energy-efficiency.Despite the pressing need to decarbonise Romania's heat and power sectors, this is not an investment priority.

From New Zealand?

Go to: http://www.safetravel.govt.

Is tipping customary in Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Tipping 5-10% in bars and restaurants is expected.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance.See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them.For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs.

History of Bosnia and Herzegovina

In 1878, Austria-Hungary occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina, which had been cut off from the rest of the Ottoman Empire by the creation of new states in the Balkans following the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 and the resulting Congress of Berlin (June–July 1878).

In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed the province, leading to the Bosnian Crisis, an international dispute which barely failed to precipitate a world war immediately, and was an important step in the buildup of international tensions during the years leading up to the First World War.

In 1918 it was incorporated into the newly created Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, where it had no formal status of its own.

In 1918, a short-lived State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (carved out of south Slavic parts of Austria-Hungary) joined the Kingdom of Serbia to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later renamed Yugoslavia in 1929.

In 1918, Herzegovina became a part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed Kingdom of Yugoslavia).

In 1929 that federation was formally constituted as Yugoslavia.

In 1941 Herzegovina fell once again under the rule of the fascist Independent State of Croatia.

In 1945 during World War II, many Hungarians fled the Russian occupation, taking their vizslas with them.

In 1989, the remains of King Nicholas and other members of the former royal family were returned to Montenegro to be reinterred with great ceremony in Cetinje.

In 1991, Yugoslavia’s republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia) had a population of 4 million, composed of three main ethnic groups: Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim, 44 percent), Serb (31 percent), and Croat (17 percent), as well as Yugoslav (8 percent).

In 1993 the authorities in Sarajevo adopted a new language law (Službeni list Republike Bosne i Hercegovine, 18/93): “In the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ijekavian standard literary language of the three constitutive nations is officially used, designated by one of the three terms: Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian.”[11]

In 1995, the Dayton Peace Accords joined the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the Serb entity, the Republika Srpska, from that point onward recognized formally as a political sub-state entity without a right of secession, into the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[3][5][7]

In 2010, 2011 and 2014 Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrated its solidarity  in recovery process with those most in need when the worst floods in decades created numerous landslides forcing thousands of families in numerous municipalities to evacuate their damaged or destroyed homes.

In 2011, at the request of the governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Kosovo, ICMP initiated the compilation of a unified regional list of persons missing in the Western Balkans.

In 2018, the United States exported over $380 million in goods to Bosnia and Herzegovina, while imports totaled over $37 million.

In the 1930s, hunters and falconers in Hungary needed a sturdy hunting dog with a tough, wiry coat that could resist the harsh weather conditions while on the hunt.

In the 1990s, war ravaged the former Yugoslavia.

In the 2000s, the Jasenovac Memorial Site started working on a list of all the inmates who were killed or died at the camp, using existing name-by-name lists, documents, confirmations of deaths and verifications by relatives.