On the occasion of 25 November - the Statehood Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a scientific conference „Constitutionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina through history“ was held at the University of Sarajevo

On the occasion of 25 November  - the Statehood Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a scientific conference dedicated to the topic "Constitutionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina through history" was held today at the University of Sarajevo. It was organized by the University of Sarajevo and the Institute of History of the University of Sarajevo.

The scientific conference "Constitutionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina through history" was opened by Dr. Sedad Bešlija, Director of the Institute of History, University of Sarajevo and Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, Rector of the University of Sarajevo.

Director Bešlija reminded that the current 2021 marks the hundredth anniversary of the adoption of the so-called Vidovdan Constitution, which was taken as an occasion for scientific questioning, examination, revision and establishment of numerous constitutions that were adopted during the long history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. "The stability of the state, but also its importance, are clearly reflected through the issue of constitutionality. Respect for the constitution and other acts by all state institutions, but also by the citizens of the state, characterizes the strength of the ruling system. In the turbulent processes of transition that the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina has gone through in the last two centuries, several constitutions have been adopted", said Director Beslija, adding that the conference aims to examine, revise and recognize the challenges of new interpretations of the constitution throughout history, purpose at the time in which they were adopted and critically valorizes their impact on the political and economic and social development of the state.

“Today, in three sessions and 12 presentations, we will try to historically contextualize and question the constitutional solutions for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1865 until the Dayton Peace Agreement in 1995," explained Director Bešlija, reminding that the Constitution is the highest legal act of any states and the framework for the existence of a society. "Without the Constitution, there is no state, then anarchy reigns. Looking from that perspective, we can say that the Constitution can be the result of an agreement between internal socio-political factors in a country, but it can also be the result of external factors in history. and Herzegovina has been between these two forces throughout history, especially in the last 150 years. and the state of BiH found its historical strength and potential and reaffirmed its statehood and constitutionality and state-legal continuity,” said director Bešlija.

Rector Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj emphasized that the Constitution, as a fundamental act establishing political and legal order, is the best proof of a country's statehood. “What makes it a distinct phenomenon is the fact that throughout history, Bosnia and Herzegovina has always managed to preserve its nucleus of statehood and survive in various constitutional and legal systems. It was the Banovina Kingdom, Ejalet Corpus separatum, the People's Council, the Federal Unit, the People's Republic, the Socialist Republic, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and now the Dayton Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” stressed Rector Škrijelj and underlined that it is very important to look at all these facts and to show in this way the state-building continuity of our homeland, which has a centuries-old tradition of meeting and mixing different religions, civilizations and cultures that have been synthesized in the specific Bosnian spirituality.

The scientific conference “Constitutionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina through history” was organized through three sessions. Within the first session, which was moderated by Dr. Sedad Bešlija, the participants had the opportunity to hear the presentations of Prof. Emeritus Kasim Trnka on the topic "Ethnic and civic principle in the constitutional development of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” then the presentation of Prof. Dr. Dževad Drina (University of Zenica - Faculty of Law) on the topic "Awakening of Nations - Constitutional Balkans and Bosnia and Herzegovina", presentation by Doz. Dr. Antonia Pehara (University "Herzegovina" in Mostar), and the presentation of Prof. Dr. Ajdin Huseinspahić and Doz. Dr. Sedad Dedić (University of Zenica - Faculty of Law).

The second session was moderated by Dr. Dženita Sarač-Rujanac. Within the second session, Dr. Hana Younis (University of Sarajevo - Institute of History) spoke about the Bosnian Vilayet Constitution of 1865 and its impact on everyday life. Academician Dževad Juzbašić (Academy of Sciences and Arts of BiH) presented on the topic "Problems of the Proclamation of the National Constitution in 1909", and others. Muhamed Nametak presented on the topic "National Constitution (Statute) for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1910". Prof. dr. Ivan Balta (University "Herzegovina" in Mostar and University "J. J. Strossmayer" in Osijek) spoke about the state-building significance of the National Constitution (Statute) of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1910 as a confirmation of the continuity of statehood, according to historiographical sources, especially Hungarian "Boszniai Hirek".

The third session began with a presentation by Prof. Dr. Omer Hamzić (Monos Publishing Gracanica) on the topic “Muslim policy of the agreement and the 'Turkish paragraph’ of the Vidovdan Constitution,” and continued with the presentation of Dr. Dženite Sarač-Rujanac (University of Sarajevo - Institute of History) "Constitutions from 1963 and 1974 as an introduction to the phase of Mature Socialist Self-Government and the Natural Walk to Equality"

Prof. Dr. Zijad Šehić (University of Sarajevo - Faculty of Philosophy) spoke about the Dayton Peace Agreement, and Prof. Emeritus Azem Kožar (Society of Historians Tuzla) on reflections of Dayton constitutional provisions on educational, scientific and cultural trends in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The third session was moderated by Dr. Hana Younis.

Regardless of all the challenges, regardless of the fact that in certain periods Bosnia and Herzegovina was questionable when it comes to the survival of the state itself, the Bosnian society and the state of BiH still found historical strength and potential and reaffirmed their statehood and constitutionality and state-legal continuity, it was ordered from today's scientific gathering dedicated to the topic “Constitutionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina through history.”