SARAJEVO, Bosnia (July 29,2008) - The last thing the European Union needs is another destabilizing situation in the southeastern Europe. This may be what is in store according to the former International Community's High Representative in Bosnia Paddy Ashdown’s assessment."It is always more difficult, especially in the Balkans, to defend the preservation of multi-ethnic spaces and resist the creation of mono-ethnic ones. But to do otherwise is always folly and nearly always ends in blood.
Bosnia is going backwards again. The EU must stop running its policy for Bosnia for the benefit of its policy for Belgrade and Kosovo. Brussels must toughen up its conditionality, support its instruments on the ground, resist attempts to undermine the Bosnian state, insist on constitutional reform to make Bosnia more functional and tackle corruption which is becoming ever more embedded. It should also tell Belgrade that a key condition for progress towards Europe will be to support the Bosnian state and give no succour to those who seek to undermine it.
I'm sorry if this disturbs comfortable slumber of some capitals, especially in Europe. But I know of no way to whisper a wake-up call and no words to describe the pain that will ensue if Europe, once again, misjudges or misunderstands what is happening in Bosnia," Ashdown said in an article published by the British Guardian newspaper on Sunday.
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