Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20901/pm.57.1.05
THE ORIGINS, GENESIS AND NATURE OF THE SECESSIONIST RHETORIC IN THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA
Aleksandar Savanović
orcid.org/0000-0002-1156-443X
; Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Banja Luka
Aleksandar Vranješ
orcid.org/0000-0002-1728-3671
; Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Banja Luka
Nevenko Vranješ
orcid.org/0000-0003-0006-9449
; Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Banja Luka
Željko Budimir
; Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Banja Luka
Abstract
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is a complex state union composed of two entities and three constituent peoples. This fact is a consequence of the 1992-95 civil war, which changed the ethnic structure of BiH. From the institutional perspective, the two entities were given in Dayton a high level of political autonomy. The so-called “entity veto” was created in Dayton, and it is implemented by many key political bodies – from the House of Peoples and the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Beside that, it is argued that BiH lacks the “internal recognition” and many of the political actors advocate radical constitutional changes which would disrupt or even completely change the “Dayton” architecture of BiH. Because of that it is not surprising that secessionist rhetoric exists in BiH’s political sphere. The secessionist rhetoric in the Republic of Srpska (RS) will be analysed in this paper and possible secessionist strategy will be described. The aim of this paper is to determine whether secessionist arguments, rhetoric and possibly politics represent an integral strategy and coherent political platform, or whether they are just generated for daily political purposes. Authors will also try to determine whether this secessionist rhetoric is “institutionalised”, i.e. whether it is present in official documents of RS institutions and/or major political parties, or just in the activities of social movements and/or individual political subjects.
Keywords
Secession; Republic of Srpska; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Dayton Peace Agreement
Hrčak ID:
237645
URI
Publication date:
4.5.2020.
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