Bosnia: Little progress on constitutional reform
Overview:
Early indications suggest little progress on constitutional reform at a meeting of the seven leading parties in Bosnia with EU and US representatives at Butmir airport base in Sarajevo. The international community is holding the meetings to try and renew momentum on reform in order to try and stop Bosnia lagging in its EU integration process and, indeed, to try and move it towards becoming a properly functioning state. It is not clear, however, that even international pressure can mediate between ethnic groups that show little willingness to compromise and do not even share a common interpretation of the role of the Dayton Agreement. There is a common desire to close the Office of the High Representative and aspiration for accession to the EU. However, the steps along this route are proving very difficult.