Bosna i Hercegovina između normativne moći Evropske unije i geopolitičkih realnosti: demokratizacija ili simulacija reformi?
Bosnia and Herzegovina between the Normative Power of the European Union and Geopolitical Realities: Democratisation or Simulation of Reforms?

Author(s): Samir Sinanović
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Governance, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Geopolitics
Published by: Naučnoistraživački institut »Ibn Sina«
Keywords: Bosnia and Herzegovina; European Union; international relations; normative power; geopolitical interests; democratization; political culture; social structures;
Summary/Abstract: Bosnia and Herzegovina occupies a unique place in international relations, balancing between the normative power of the European Union and the complex geopolitical realities that shape its political transformation. As a state with a multi-layered political system and pronounced ethnic divisions, Bosnia and Herzegovina represents a particular challenge for the processes of democratization and European integration. This paper analyzes to what extent the European Union, through instruments of conditionality, political dialogue and integration processes, contributes actively to the democratization of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to what extent its mechanisms remain merely a simulation, maintaining the existing political structures without substantial changes. Special attention is paid to the role of the European Union in the context of the activities of other international actors, including the United States, Russia, China, Serbia and Turkey, and to the analysis of their influence on political processes within Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to the political and institutional aspects, the paper also addresses the dimension of European integration, exploring the perception of the European Union among the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the attitudes of political elites towards European norms, and the impact of a long-term transition on social structures and political culture. Through a comparison with other countries of the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership (such as Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova), the paper analyzes whether the European Union applies consistent standards of democratization or adapts them to geopolitical interests.

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