I welcome Mr. Jasenko Selimovic, who is head of the Social Democratic Party president's office in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The usual procedure is for a ten to 15-minute introduction, following which members of the committee will raise questions and Mr. Selimovic can give a global response. Before asking him to address the committee, however, I draw witnesses' attention to the fact that members of the committee have full privilege, but this does not apply to witnesses appearing before the committee. Members are reminded of the parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person outside the House or an official either by name or in such as way as to make him or her identifiable.
Bosnia-Herzegovina’s EU Path: Discussion with Croatian Social Democratic Party.
Mr. Jasenko Selimovic
I thank the joint committee for giving me this opportunity to say a few words about Bosnia-Herzegovina's EU path and our future in the common European family. The Social Democratic Party is a left-wing party which is a member of the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists. We are the major Opposition party in Bosnia-Herzegovina and are the biggest, multi-ethnic party. We are the only multi-ethnic party that has MPs in the state Parliament. We have five MPs out of 42 in the Bosnian state Parliament.
In preparing myself for this visit to Ireland, including this meeting, I had a dilemma about what would be the main topic or priority of my speech here. I decided, due to the constraint of time, to speak about a few matters.
The current political situation in Bosnia is not very good. We are probably in the deepest political crisis since 1995, since the Dayton peace agreement. The economic situation is not good either. For example, the rate of unemployment is 42%. The main topic over the past few months in Bosnia is constitutional changes. We realise that the constitution is blocking all further process of development in my country.
The second important topic is the EU path and membership action plan for NATO. On this first topic about the European Union, of course, the first matter is visa liberalisation to adhere to the Schengen list.
The third important topic this year is the forthcoming election in October. This is an opportunity and a big challenge for us to try to make any change on the political scene and to change the current Government.
I decided to make just a few remarks at the beginning because, from my point of view, it is better to hear questions on a field in which the committee is interested. I was informed we have a good deal of time for this meeting. I am ready to answer questions. I just mentioned three important current issues in my country.
I welcome Mr. Selimovic. It is good to have him visit Ireland. I had the historic opportunity of visiting his country and Sarajevo and Srebrenica for the tenth anniversary of the massacre. It was traumatic and difficult. It was a serious human tragedy.
He stated that there is 42% unemployment in his country, which is very high. What support is the country getting from the European bank for reconstruction? Based on the trauma, the political crises and the human tragedy that these countries have come through, how is the current unification process evolving and how does he see his own party supporting that, sustaining that and internationalising the support that is critical to give renewal to his country?
I thank Mr. Selimovic for coming in to see us. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party. Is his party affiliated to the socialist grouping in the European Union? He stated his party was the main Opposition party and that five of the 42 Members of Parliament are from his party. How large is the main grouping in Parliament? Five out of 42 is a relatively small number of Members of Parliament. What other representation is there in the Parliament? Does his party have any natural allies within the Opposition?
He began by stating his country was in the deepest political crisis since 1995. Was he referring to the upcoming election, the constitutional changes or the lack of progress being made politically towards any common position?
What is the position of his country's application for membership of the European Union? What progress on European Union membership has been made? What sort of negotiations are taking place? Are serious negotiations taking place at present?
I welcome Mr. Selimovic. Both the Chairman and myself were in Sarajevo last year. We saw at first hand the effects of the crisis of the early 1990s when nearly 11,000 people were killed in the siege of Sarajevo. Indeed, there are still significant problems such as different ethnic groups controlling parliaments and different police forces. Perhaps he would give us a run down on how volatile the situation is in Sarajevo and in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In particular, perhaps he would tell us about the proposed constitutional changes. Most of the political parties we met when we were in Sarajevo agreed that the constitution had to be changed. Perhaps he could tell us more about that process.
The 42% unemployment rate applies pressures on the economy in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He might refer to that and the standard of living.
He also might brief the committee on the forthcoming elections due to take place in Bosnia-Herzegovina. What is the position of the current Prime Minister? I understand there are Ministers from different parties and groups.
How well trained are the police in that area? There were many Irish observers, members of the Garda Síochána, who went out there to assist in training that police force. There were also a number of Army personnel in the camp just outside Sarajevo. Has the role of the troops from various countries, who are there mainly as observers, diminished and can the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina act on its own? Is it getting enough help from the European Union?
I also welcome Mr. Selimovic. While his country's story is not a particularly good one in terms of its current position, I would suggest that there is encouragement out there. The encouragement is to keep working at the difficult and slow process that is under way. As I understand it, there is a division of power, not real power-sharing. However, the eventual aim of EU membership, and following the straight and probably narrow road that it takes to become an EU member, is well worth the effort. I would encourage him to keep in mind in the Parliament that membership is in front of it because that is the future for Bosnia.
All of us were offended by what happened early in the new millennium when there was ethnic cleansing again in Europe, which we thought we would not see again. The situation is terribly sad. I again encourage Mr. Selimovic and I hope his country continues on the path it has chosen.
As previous speakers indicated, representatives from the committee have visited the region on more than one occasion. Several members have made trips there in a private capacity. I made such a trip in the past three years and found my visit quite informative. The committee visited Bosnia-Herzegovina last year and the points Mr. Selimovic raised became known to us during the course of that trip.
Mr. Selimovic should not be overly depressed about the situation. In all countries where there has been strife, events such as those to which he referred happen. This country has first-hand experience of that. Sometimes problems of this nature continue for a long period. They are part of the emerging democratic process and they can be disheartening. I accept that the situation is volatile. It is a fact that, in economic terms, a country or region will suffer in circumstances such as those under discussion.
Members referred to EUFOR and the fact that Irish peacekeepers have been deployed in the area for some time. We met the latter during our visit and exchanged views with them. As a result of what was said, we arrived at the view that we need EUFOR to be retained in the region so that it might act as a stabilising factor as democracy emerges there.
The committee is scheduled to return to the region, during the course of its work programme, which runs in tandem with that of the European Commission. I previously visited Montenegro, Croatia and, some years ago, Mostar. The recent history of the region has been marked by violence and members will be aware that this has influenced the economic situation in which Bosnia-Herzegovina currently finds itself. We hope to pay a return visit to the region in the not-too-distant future.
Mr. Jasenko Selimovic
The first question related to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. I am not very familiar with this institution but it has supported many infrastructural projects in the past. However, I do not know how much money it provided in respect of such projects. At present, Bosnia-Herzegovina is close to economic bankruptcy and collapse. The International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the World Bank gave us €1.2 billion for the next five years.
The second question posed related to unification and the role of my party. Just after the war, my party opened its headquarters in Sarajevo and it also opened branches in the Republika Srpska. From my point of view, that provides a clear answer with regard to our role in the unification of society in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
There is a particular phenomenon in Bosnia-Herzegovina at present. In the past, we were part of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires and of communist Yugoslavia. During this entire period, Bosnia and Herzegovina were one society comprised of all ethnic and religious groups. Following the first democratic election, and for the first time in our history, our society became the victim of ethnic divisions. I am sure that phenomenon is common throughout Europe.
Deputy Costello inquired about the position in the state Parliament. The largest Bosniak political-ethnic party is the Party of Democratic Action, SDA, with nine MPs. The second largest party is the Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina, SBiH, which is also Bosniak and which has eight MPs. The third party in the ruling coalition is the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, from Republika Srpska, which has seven MPs. There are also two Croat parties in the coalition, which have five MPs between them. The total number of MPs in the ruling coalition is 29, which is more than two thirds of the entire Parliament. This coalition is in place as a result of our electoral system and our constitution. It is possible for the ruling coalition to change whatever it wants but, unfortunately, it does not do anything about EU issues or constitutional changes. All it does is wait for the elections that are due to take place at the end of the year.
Our political process is locked in a zero-sum game. The state is weak and cannot provide the kind of services required by its citizens. The current crisis has had a devastating effect on the country's economy. In light of the political and administrative structures currently in place, it is not possible to make a proper response to our difficulties in a short timeframe.
The Chairman referred to the committee's visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina. I had the opportunity to read its report, which was published in March 2009. Unfortunately, I must inform members that nothing has changed in Bosnia-Herzegovina since their visit and the publication of the report. The committee's report is extremely good and it presents a true picture of the position in Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, I do not know if anyone from the Bosnian Government or the Bosnian Embassy in London has had the opportunity to read it. From my point of view, it is probably the best report I have read in recent years.
With regard to the European Union, we signed the stabilisation and association agreement, SAA, two years ago but nothing has happened since then. The only development came in respect of the issue of visa liberalisation. The state Parliament had an obligation to review approximately 40 different laws, which it did, and make provision in respect of technical details relating to biometric passports. We believe that from 1 July we will be accepted on to the Schengen white list.
The last negotiation about the constitution began in May last year when Mr. Joe Biden, Vice President of the US, visited Sarajevo and made a speech in our Parliament. He gave us a framework for constitutional change. The biggest political parties opened that process in September. Unfortunately, it fell apart at the end of the year. Now nothing is happening and everybody is waiting for elections. In December last year, the European Court of Human Rights gave a verdict on our constitution and election law that it is contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights. Now there is big pressure from the Council of Europe and several different European states to change part of our constitution before the election – the part about the presidency and the house of people. As a party, we are not satisfied with that proposal. We think the constitution needs more structural and functional changes.
The next question was about the election. We, as a party, and the Office of the High Representative over recent months conducted a few different surveys about the next election and we believe we will have a new Government and the Social Democratic Party will be the leader of the Government. In that case everything will be different and everything can be changed in the political sense in my country. The first topic for us is to change the constitution in the first year of our term in government because I already mentioned our constitution brought in reform protests in the country.
With regard to the role of international police forces and EU military forces, it is important for us that international forces stay in Bosnia at least until the next election and the appointment of a new Government. There is not a huge number of international soldiers in Bosnia. There are only 1,500 where there were 60,000. That is a just a symbolic level because from time to time people need to see foreign soldiers on the street for security.
Does Mr. Selimovic think the Social Democratic Party will be the largest party after the election?
Mr. Jasenko Selimovic
Yes, we expect to have eight or nine Members of the state Parliament. That will be enough to be the strongest party and we will be in position to choose partners and become the ruling coalition.
Mr. Selimovic's comments are interesting. The committee intends to return to the country and the region in the not too distant future. On the basis of what he said, it is important we do so. The committee submitted its previous report to the European institutions as well as to the Parliament in this country and other parliaments. We hope we can be of some positive help in the process that is taking place, which is vital for the survival of the area and its people. I thank Mr. Selimovic again and we might meet up with him when we visit. One can never tell.
The joint committee went into private session at 3.55 p.m. and adjourned at 4.10 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Thursday, 11 March 2010.