Table of Contents Foreword by the Editors 5 Ernst M. Felberbauer, Predrag Jureković and Frederic Labarre Welcome Speech 7 Johann Pucher PART I: OVERCOMING POLITICAL OBSTACLES, FACING ECONOMIC CHALLENGES 13 A Country with Several Nations, but Without a Proper State? Why Bosnia Doesn’t Work 15 Michael Schmunk Multiple Faces of the Bosnian ”Crisis Circle”: Ethnonationalism and Ethnopolitics in Post-Dayton-Bosnia and their Effects on Democratization 31 Vedran Džihić PART II: REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FACTORS OF INFLUENCE 55 Bosnia: Hostage of Belgrade 57 Sonja Biserko The Regional Cooperation Council’s Role 63 Alphan Solen NATO and Reform in Bosnia-Herzegovina 67 Bruce McLane PART III: RELEVANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECURITY SECTOR 77 The Challenge of Reaching Self Sustainability in a Post-War Environment 79 Denis Hadžović 3 The Next Step in Defence Reform: Establishing a Military Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina 91 Heinz Vetschera The Religious Radicalism and its Impact on the Security Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina 113 Velko Attanassoff Recent Developments in Fighting Organized Crime in Bosnia- Herzegovina 131 Stephen Alexander Goddard PART IV: SOCIAL BARRIERS AND WAYS OF DEALING WITH THEM 145 Lessons of Peacebuilding for the Balkans and Beyond: Towards a Culture of Dialogue, Reconciliation and Transformation 147 Dennis J.D. Sandole The Role of Media in the Process of Peace-Building 177 Drago Pilsel The Role of Education for Sustainable Peace-Building 183 Wolfgang Benedek PART VI: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 205 Conclusions and Recommendations 207 Predrag Jureković List of Authors and Editors 217 4 Foreword by the Editors Bosnia and Herzegovina in almost 14 years of the post-Dayton period has not become a functional state despite some successes that have been achieved in regard to the Euro-Atlantic integration processes. Continu- ing ethno-centric argumentation in the discourses of the local political leadership and partly dysfunctional state institutions have produced a standstill in the process of bringing Bosnia and Herzegovina nearer to ”positive peace”. As a consequence of continuous antagonism and mistrust Bosnia and Herzegovina still seems to be far away from NATO and in particular EU membership. The planned transformation of the international presence from a (de facto) protectorate power towards a presence supporting mainly Bosnia and Herzegovina’s integration into the EU is hindered. Alarmed by this critical situation EU representatives have declared 2009 of becoming ”Bosnia’s Year”. A workshop of the Study Group Regional Stability in South East Europe of the PfP Consortium of Defence Academies and Security Studies Insti- tutes, held at the Chateau Rothschild in Reichenau, 24-26 April 2009, dealt with the difficulties in the Bosnian state- and peace-building pro- cess. As it has been also the case in the previous workshops of this study group Balkan insiders from the research community, NGO’s and IGO’s, the security sector as well as from the media and civil society groups discussed from different perspectives, but in a very productive atmos- phere the challenges for reducing security problems and fostering a co- operative development in the region. Having been supported by the Austrian hosts and coordinators of the study group, the Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management at the National Defence Academy and the Directorate for Security Policy of the Ministry for Defence and Sports, the Reichenau participants fo- cused on the necessities in terms of political, security, economic and educational means to finally reach a breakthrough in Bosnia and Herze- govina that will lead to self-sustainability, EU and NATO membership. 5 The editors are pleased to present the readers in this publication most of the analyses and recommendations from the Reichenau meeting on Bos- nia and Herzegovina and would appreciate if this study group informa- tion could contribute to generate positive ideas for supporting this im- portant Western Balkan country. Ernst M. Felberbauer Predrag Jureković Frederic Labarre 6 Welcome Speech Johann Pucher Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends and Partners within the PfP Consortium, It is a pleasure for me to welcome you here on behalf of the Austrian Ministry of Defence at the already 18th Workshop of the PfP Consortium Study Group on ”Regional Stability in South East Europe” also this year. The Austrian Ministry of Defence appreciates very much to see so many well-known and well-respected faces here in Reichenau representing national and international organisations being active in the Western Bal- kans. As co-organiser, we, equally, if not more importantly, appreciate the presence of representatives and experts from the countries in the region. A warm welcome also to many friends I personally have had the privi- lege to meet over the past years. The Austrian Ministry of Defence has been a member of the PfP Consor- tium since 2000. Our main focus within the Consortium rests on its work in the Study Group Regional Stability in South East Europe. May I ex- tend my sincere congratulation to Predrag Jureković from the Austrian National Defence Academy, to Professor Pantev from Bulgaria and to Professor Staničić from Croatia, for having guided the work of the Study Group for so many years. The MOD remains fully committed to the Consortium’s mission, both with two workshops organised throughout the year, a larger one hosted here in Reichenau and a regional one with one of our cooperation part- 7 ners. I would especially like to thank the Center for Security Studies in Belgrade, which co-organised a very important meeting right after Ser- bia’s reopening to the EU in October 2008. In that sense I would equally like to welcome representatives from the Albanian Institute for International Studies in Tirana, the partner institu- tion for the upcoming workshop in September 2009 in Albania. Austria as a direct neighbour of the Western Balkan countries has strong cultural, personal and economic ties in respect to the region. The new Austrian government has clearly underlined the continous importance of that region for Austria. Consequently, as far as the political processes in the region and the CFSP are concerned, Austria is among those EU member countries that strongly support a speedy integration of all Western Balkan countries into the EU, based on their own merits. This is underlined by having accepted important positions in the region: let me mention Ambassador Almhöfer as Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, and last but not least the OHR/EUSR, Ambassador Inzko. Austria highly welcomes that in the meanwhile all the Western Balkan countries have signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. The next logic step after the finalization of the SAA ratification would be the opening of negotiations with all Western Balkan countries on EU- membership. However, there are still disturbing factors, slowing down the process. One such example is the border conflict between Slovenia and Croatia. One only can appeal on the leaders in the region to look into the future and do their utmost to overcome the heritage of the past. We are strong supporters for finalizing the membership negotiations with Croatia as soon as possible. But all moral and political support is in vain if the countries do not move themselves. 8 As you are aware of Austria has been engaged in Peace Support Opera- tions since 1996, when Austrian soldiers first took part in the IFOR mis- sion, followed by our contribution to SFOR and later to KFOR. We stand committed to the EUFOR ALTHEA and KFOR and will not unilaterally withdraw. Austria is of the opinion that the time is not yet ripe to close down ALTHEA. Actually we are the biggest non NATO contributor in KFOR with more than 700 soldiers deployed there. Addi- tionally we contribute to the Operational Reserve Force, which is sta- tioned outside the region to assist EUFOR ALTHEA as well as KFOR, if called upon. But there are signs on the wall. Some nations are pressing for withdraw- als; some have done it unilaterally already. Resources are urgently re- quired outside the region. It seems that some nations are loosing patience gradually. If we do not manage the process and end it halfway, we all will have to pay a price: the peoples, the nations in the region and Europe as a whole. I would also like to refer to Austria’s engagement in the dimension Jus- tice and Home Affairs in SEE. DCAF – and I see Ambassador Gregor Zore who coordinates the effort – and the Austrian Ministry of Interior have been engaged in supporting the Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe. This is a project of outstanding importance that has the potential to change police and border police issues in SEE towards European standards over the next years, which are the first steps neces- sary towards Visa liberalisation, and a possible future Schengen mem- bership. We all are aware how important visa liberalisation is for the people in the region. Austria has profited a lot from its activities in the PfP, which our country is a member of since 1995. Having this positive experience in mind we want to suggest to our friends in the region to use membership in PfP to develop their co-operation in the military field. We also welcome Croa- tia’s and Albania’s accession to NATO at the last NATO summit, al- though Austria itself is not planning to become a member of the alliance. 9 We hope that Macedonia and Greece can find a resolution for their name dispute, so that also Macedonia can join NATO very soon. This mem- bership would be an additional essential stabilizing factor in the region. As regards to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH): further development there, which will be the main topic of this workshop, is a crucial challenge for the EU’s CFSP.