Bosnia and Herzegovina - 46.16
111
The ‘90s were not so long ago
Bosnia and Herzegovina is fundamentally a country that should not exist. Make no mistake, this is not an attack on the legitimacy of a Bosniak homeland, it is an attack on the structure of the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina. BiH has possibly the most complex system of government of any country on Earth. The Bosniak presidency rotates every eight months between three positions (each elected to four-year terms) that must be a Bosniak, a Croat, and a Serb. Additionally, BiH contains a large autonomous region, the Republika Srpska, which contains almost half of the country. Pundits have repeatedly questioned how the country has managed to exist for this long and continue to come up short. The country struggles with near-constant ethnic strife and consistent government deadlock as a result. Bosnia continues to be a powderkeg in the already volatile Balkans. However, despite all of these factors stacking against the fragile nation, the country could be run significantly worse. The country’s human rights situation is far from the worst in Europe and is also generally free. While it is one of the poorest countries in Europe, its population is relatively healthy. Bosnia’s future is uncertain as the country continues to exist in perpetuity as a nation in purgatory.
Human Rights - 63
Bosnia and Herzegovina has fully abolished the death penalty. Bosnia is a major entry point into the European Union for migrants as its immigration laws with Croatia are relatively lax. Migrants in Bosnia are held in squalor in camps that lack adequate access to sanitation, food, and shelter. Those not held in camps squat in abandoned buildings or forests near the Croatian border. BiH enacted a twenty-four-hour curfew for children and the elderly for several months, resulting in exorbitant fines for over three hundred Bosniaks. Dissenting journalists were often denied access to government press conferences and releases. The government banned “incitement of panic and disorder” in relation to the COVID pandemic. The law was repealed in less than a month but eighteen people were charged during that time. The government has been suspiciously slow to prosecute war crimes from the Yugoslavian civil war. The first reparations were paid in 2020 and police arrested seven suspected war criminals for the murder of twenty-two civilians during the Bosnian genocide. Roma and Jews face discrimination in education and housing. Children are often denied enrollment, even to public schools. Roma and Jewish families are often chased out of non-Roma or non-Jewish neighborhoods. Trans Bosniaks cannot serve openly. While Bosnia has discrimination protections, they go generally unenforced. Bosnia does not recognize same-sex relationships or adoption. Abortion is legal to twelve weeks with parental authroization required when applicable.
Democracy - 27
Bosnia’s three presidents are elected in a complex electoral system. Three presidents are elected at once to a four-year term wherein each president rotates out of the position every eight months. Of the three presidents, one must be a Bosniak, one a Croat, and one a Serb. The prime minister is nominated by the presidential council and approved by parliament. The credibility of Bosnian elections are dubious at best as the Central Electoral Commission (CIK) disqualified thousands of ballots in key swing areas. Parliament elections are split into the country’s two regions, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska (RS). Members of parliament are directly elected by their respective constituencies. The Federal House has failed to form a government since the 2018 elections. Bosnia’s three-coalition system is based heavily on ethnic ties. Bosniaks overwhelmingly vote with ethnic alliances and opposition parties have some power in parliament and local politics but these are also based on ethnic ties. Ethnic Serb and Croat countries are subject to influence from their respective countries.
Freedom - 58
Bosnia places few official limits on freedom of expression but is known to harass journalists and activists. Additionally, the government tolerates harassment of journalists by the people, as journalists are often branded race traitors for criticizing politicians of their own ethnicity. Jews face consistent harassment, but Muslims and Christians are generally free to practice. Ethnonationalist indoctrination takes place at all levels of the Bosniak education system. All drugs are illegal but the use of cannabinoids is not regulated whatsoever. Bosnia may issue gun ownerhip licenses for semi-automatic handguns, bolt-action rifles, and shotguns.
Economy - 39
Health - 60
Bosnia has a life expectancy of 77 years and an infant mortality rate of 0.51%. 18% of Bosniaks are obese and 2.5% are malnourished. The Federation lacks a universal health insurance scheme but the RS has one, albeit a particularly limited one by European standards. Residents of the Federation are required to have health insurance, despite the government not providing it. Bosnia is experiencing a nationwide shortage of medical personnel, as the majority of qualified personnel emigrate to the United States or European Union. 97% of Bosniaks have access to clean, running water. The Bosniak economy shrunk 4.3% in 2020 and grew 7.5% in 2021.
Corruption - 32
Judicial verdicts are bought and sold. Several Bosniak politicians have been accused of accepting bribes to pardon high-profile criminals, including members of organized crime. Police bribery is very common. Public services often must be bribed into action. The Bosnian tax administration is highly corrupt. The Croatian border is regarded as the most corrupt in Europe, and it is used as a major entry point for illegal goods and migrants smuggled into Europe. Contracts are impossible to obtain without corruption.
Competency - 24
The government refuses to provide for migrants. The government has refused to prosecute war crimes in a timely manner. The government has failed to provide for its people for the entirety of its existence.
Future - 50
While Bosnia creeps ever closer to EU accession, there are still a number of reasons why it is not in the EU. The South Balkans are the closest they have been to war since the 1990s, as tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have boiled over into the entire region. Several politicians in Bosnia fear the outright collapse of the entire country.
Actions Abroad - 33
Bosnia is heavily subject to Serbia’s influence. As a result, it is the only post-Yugoslav country besides Serbia to not recognize its independence. Bosnia still claims portions of Croatia’s coastline that are under the de facto control of Croatia and are recognized as such by most nations. Bosnia has generally belligerent relations with all post-Yugoslav nations except for Serbia.
1.1% of Bosniaks live below the international poverty line and 18.6% live below the national poverty line. While Bosnia’s total unemployment rate is 16.85%, the unemployment rate for young adults is 67.5%. Bosnia has a very low economic disparity. The minimum wage in Bosnia is $247 per month. The Federation has no universal healthcare system whatsoever, while the RS has a very weak system. Residents of the Federation are required to have healthcare but they must pay for it. While the RS provides free healthcare, hospital infrastructure is limited and not all procedures and medicines are covered. Bosnia generally has a shortage of medical personnel as most emigrate to the EU or US.