This study interrogates the engagement of the European Union in the process of transitional justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It first reviews developments in the various mechanisms of transitional justice and related efforts of civil society, highlighting common challenges such as the nature of the violence in 1992– 1995, the design of the peace negotiated at Dayton, and the shortcomings of reconstruction agendas in the period of transition. The analysis then turns to EU involvement in transitional justice in Bosnia, focusing particularly on coherence between the “peace-building” and “enlargement” approaches and complementarity with civil society. The study concludes that the strategy of disengagement with issues and civil society actors related to war crimes and justice, pursued by the Union, has served to compromise Europe's own objectives of peace-building and progress towards accession. A way forward is suggested for EU policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasizing the benefits of adopting a justice-sensitive approach to peace-building and European integration, as well as the need to broaden EU engagement with civil society to incorporate victims associations and social movements alongside the NGO sector.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Aucoin L, Babbitt E (2006) Transitional justice: assessment survey conditions in the former Yugoslavia. UNDP, Belgrade
BIRN (2007) No progress for Sarajevo truth commission. Justice Report, 23 February 2007. Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
Biro M, Ajdukovic D, Corkalo D (2004) Attitudes toward justice and social reconstruction in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. In: Stover E, Weinstein H (eds) My neighbor, my enemy: justice and community in the aftermath of mass atrocity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Freeman M (2004) Bosnia and Herzegovina: selected developments in transitional justice. International Center for Transitional Justice, New York
HLC (2005) Strategy for transitional justice in the Former Yugoslavia. Humanitarian Law Center, Belgrade
HLC (2006) Transitional justice in the post-Yugoslav countries: report for 2006. Humanitarian Law Center, Belgrade. www.hlc-rdc.org
HRW (2004) Justice at risk: war crimes trials in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro. HRW Report 16, 7(D). Human Rights Watch, New York
Huyse L (1995) Justice after transition: on the choices successor elites make in dealing with the past. Law Social Inquiry 20:51
ICG (2002) Policing the police in Bosnia: a further reform agenda. Balkans Report No. 130. International Crisis Group, Sarajevo/Brussels
ICG (2007) Ensuring Bosnia's future: a new international engagement strategy. Europe Report No. 180. International Crisis Group, Sarajevo/Brussels
Jelacic N, Ahmetasevic N (2006) Truth commission divides Bosnia. Balkan Insight, 31 March 2006. www.iwpr.net
Kaldor M (1998) Transnational civil society. In: Bianchini S, Schopflin G (eds) State building in the Balkans: dilemmas on the eve of the 21st Century. Longo Editore, Ravenna
Kaldor M (1999) New and old wars: organized violence in a global era. Polity Press, Cambridge
Koulouri C (ed) (2001) Teaching the history of Southeastern Europe. CDRSEE, Thessaloniki
Koulouri C (ed) (2002) Clio in the Balkans: the politics of history education. CDRSEE, Thessaloniki
OHR (2008) Thirty-third report of the High Representative for implementation of the peace agreement on Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, 1 October 2007 – 31 March 2008. Office of the High Representative and EU Special Representative. www.ohr.int
Rangelov I (2006a) EU war crimes policy in the western Balkans. In: Denisa Kostovicova, Vesna Bojicic Dzelilovic (eds) Austrian presidency of the EU: regional approaches to the Balkans. Renner Institute, Vienna
Rangelov I (2006b) EU conditionality and transitional justice in the former Yugoslavia. Croatian Yearbook Eur Law Policy 2:365
Suljagic E (2005) Postcards from the Grave. Saqi Books, London
UNDP (2005) Transitional justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina: situation analysis and strategic options. Mission report. United Nations Development Program, Sarajevo
Zivanovic M (2006) Civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina: lost in transition. In: Benedek W (ed) Civil society and good governance in society in transition. Belgrade Center for Human Rights, Belgrade
Zupan N (2006) Facing the past and transitional justice in countries of the former Yugoslavia. In: Fischer M (ed) Peacebuilding and civil society in Bosnia-Herzegovina: ten years after Dayton. Lit, Munster
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Rangelov, I., Theros, M. (2009). Transitional Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Coherence and Complementarity of EU Institutions and Civil Society*. In: Ambos, K., Large, J., Wierda, M. (eds) Building a Future on Peace and Justice. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85754-9_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85754-9_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-85753-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-85754-9
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawLaw and Criminology (R0)