On the occasion of the upcoming EU-Western Balkans Leaders' Meeting, the Society for Threatened Peoples has appealed to the European Commission and the EU to support Bosnia and Herzegovina in its efforts towards democracy and independence. In this scope, Bosnia and Herzegovina would, for one thing, need realistic prospects for an accession. Further, the EU should stop cooperating with secessionist and ultra-nationalist forces. This would be of vital importance for Europe – especially against the backdrop of Russia's aggression.

"The governments of Serbia and Croatia have revived their goal from the 1990s: They are aiming to divide Bosnia and Herzegovina based on ethnic criteria, as a means to annex the respective territories," explained Jasna Causevic, STP expert on genocide prevention and the Responsibility to Protect. "To this end, they can rely on active support from the Kremlin, which is aiming to expand its sphere of influence further westward." The only way to prevent this and to stabilize Bosnia and Herzegovina in the long run would be to ensure a timely accession to NATO.

At the same time, German EU parliamentarians such as David McAllister (CDU) and Manfred Weber (CSU, party leader of the EVP in the EU Parliament) are trying to keep the war-ridden country in a continuous waiting loop. "They are paying court to secessionist politicians such as the Serb nationalist Milorad Dodik and the Croat nationalist Dragan Covic in Bosnia," Causevic emphasized. "As long as these dangerous extremists can rely on support by EU institutions, Bosnia will not find peace."

Thus, the STP appealed to the European Commission and to the EU to stop all cooperations with forces that are trying to break up the state and to prevent an accession to the EU. A few days before the 27th anniversary of the genocide of Srebrenica, the human rights organization demanded Bosnia and Herzegovina to be granted the status of an accession candidate. This could be the only possibility to prevent a new war and to stabilize the eastern border of the EU in the long term. The last thing Europe needs at the moment is a renewed conflict at its borders, allowing Russia to expand its sphere of influence again.

The original wording of the STP's appeal (in German) can be found here.