Consolidation of democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina in relation to status of national minorities with particular regard to status of “others”

Abstract

The article discusses the status, rights and perspectives of the minorities and “non-constituent” peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The status of the “constituent minorities” (the “Others”) is very specific and different from the minorities’ status in neighbouring countries. The article argues that in Bosnia and Herzegovina ”traditional” attitudes like ethno-nationalism, discrimination, violation of minorities rights and freedoms are still very dominant. A direct consequence of this socio-political atmosphere is ethno-particularisation of society and destabilization of the state in domestic and international contexts. This short review of the status of minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina is an insight into the international and national instruments that regulate the status and rights of the national minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The authors highlight the specificity of the country, i.e. the institutional discrimination of citizens that belong to the “others”, but are still citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The authors claim that the citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina should be an efficient protection against the observed discrimination.