Contribution of Zivko Budimir

The idea of European union is one of the most important ideas and decisions in political history, not only for ''Old Lady'', but for the entire humanity, especially social, economic and political relations in the world in general. The idea of community and progress is confronted to retrograde idea of hostility and tendencies for domination; cooperation and backing replaced isolationism and destructions with the aim of creating better and more fair society.

Community of European countries has become unavoidable fact, and despite many and different problems European countries are not immune on, Europe is stabile union and gives us reasons for trusting in its further strengthening, but also for correcting mistakes and anomalies on the way of achieving its final aim.

European union, despite the fact that there are many problems which are not tried to be hidden, has become an example of functional community and of solving conflicts in rational and intelligible way, so it has become a model of building relations among countries and different interests. The consequence of such relations, as well as healthy competition among countries – members of EU, is economic growth of countries which are members of EU, extremely educated staff - more educated than in other parts of the world, growth of enterpreneurial aspiration and strengthening of social system.

What is mentioned is enough for us to believe in European stability, though it can and it must be socially more sensitive, wiser and more careful against new political trends. Problems of media freedoms, relations towards immigrants and calling for dangerous and demode ideas by certain eminent European politicians, are latent danger for strengthening of the role of Europe in the world.

Certainly, we cannont forget economic crises European countries are faced to, and which are deeply reflected to European politics, but also to economic stability in the whole world.

Faced to these problems, Europe is more focused on itself from day to day, and seeks way-out from economic crises and, at the same time, tends to strengthen its influence in the world, but in so doing it neglects the role of exemplar to those countries which are not its members, but are part of European continent, as well as to other undeveloped countries. Such insufficient interests and decisiveness of EU is especially reflected to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a transitional country, which still doesn't answer to European union claims, which are postulate to further conversation about European integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, political system of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is not functional and rational, and which at the same time is not reflection of wish of people who live in Bosnia and Herzegovina, disables efficient cooperation beetween Bosnia and Herzegovina and European union. If we add here regional problems and their reflection on political situation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is hard to expect near going out from this pat position. Nonsense is that we have almost planned and thought blockade of complete political system in Bosnia and Herzegovina by leading political parties which bring crucial decisions for this country, and which at the same time made legal institutions of country be passive, precisely legislative and executive power.

Just as Europe must, in the rush of new economic forces, struggle to keep its strong influence in the world, Bosnia and Herzegovina will also, despite the facts previously mentioned, have to struggle and obtain to be the part of Europe.

Besides presence of foreign representatives' help, bosnia-herzegovinian politicians will have to, for the first time from 1992, work on concrete moves for ensuring European future for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Defiance of inner crises, messages of leaders about impossibility of sustainability of Bosnia and Herzegovina, insufficient sensibility for human rights and return of refugees and displaced, doubtful media freedoms and complete economic debacle like insuperable brow stand in front of our country on its process of European integration.

There are more and more messages that European union, preoccupied with its problems, will not drag Bosnia and Herzegovina for its hand and offer it endlessly possibility for fullfilling undertaken obligations. Responsibility is now on us, local politicians, economic and religious leaders; we need to, in acoordance with expectations of most citizens, lead Bosnia and Herzegovina into Europe. Europe which, figuratively, to those disempowered, the poor and manipulated citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina means ordered country, rule of law, social nad every other safeness for all citizens of the country no matter which religious, national, political and other convictions they belong to.

From the aspect of bh. politicians I feel duty to express my own view, that Bosnia and Herzegovina, actually its citizens, especially young people, cannot wait for the next seventeen years, how much lasted the period after stopping the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that bosnia-herzegovinian politicians must bring to reason themselves and start to follow the ideas which brought unification of European countries into European union. Relation changes and building functional country of Bosnia and Herzegovina must happen in the following maximal five years or Bosnia and Herzegovina will become dark ages and source of problems in the whole region, and thereby in Europe on the whole. Local politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina must take responsibility for those changes, but neither European union, nor the whole International Community can avoid their part of responsibility in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The minimum citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina expect from EU and its members is to identify those individuals and political subjects who follow opposed ideas and to break up every cooperation with them no matter how poweful they are and which position in Bosnia and Herzegovina they have. As well, citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially healthy political forces, expect strong backing to those who dedicately work on creation of functional society in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the end, I have to say that I see Europe as a moral, political and economic leader in the world, and I want to express my personal commitment that our country obtains the place in such Europe and, of course, in accordance with my capabilities, readiness for giving maximal contribution for Bosnia and Herzegovina to be, as soon as possible, stabile, modern, EUROPEAN country, country which will contribute to common European aim – better and more fair society.