Relations between the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina: defining a new policy
Odnosi između Republike Srbije i Bosne i Hercegovine: definisanje nove politike
Keywords: Serbia; Republika Srpska; Bosnia and Hercegovina; interstate relations; neighbor-state;
The text points to numerous problems that affect the consolidation of relations between the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. An overview of the open issues in the relations between the two states is given: from the issue of interstate demarcation, through problems related to the prosecution of war crimes and the status of pre-war property of economic entities, to the position of refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Serbia. As additional problems in the relations between BiH and Serbia, the incomplete succession process of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the non-functioning of the Interstate Council for Cooperation were mentioned. Relations between the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are burdened by the unbalanced relationship of the authorities in Belgrade with the Republic of Srpska, with another entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as with the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Attention was paid to the necessity of a clearer differentiation of the policies of the neighboring states - Serbia and Croatia, in relation to the earlier policy of destabilization and division of BiH, which dominated the public discourse of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia during the last decade of the 20th century. That is why the authors propose a more active and constructive role for these states with the primary goal of stabilizing the complex internal situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The text also contains recommendations regarding the definition of an effective public policy in relations between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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