Scientific Conference “1 March – Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Challenges and Perspectives”

In the occasion of the celebration of the Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the University of Sarajevo - the Faculty of Criminalistics, Criminology and Security Studies in cooperation with the Council of Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals and the Faculty of Law of the University of Zenica on 28/02 2024, organized a conference “1 March – Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina – challenges and perspectives.”

By welcome addresses, the conference was opened by Prof. Dr. Jasmin Ahić, UNSA Faculty of Criminalistics, Criminology and Security Studies Dean, Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, UNSA Rector, Prof. Dr. Jusuf Duraković, University of Zenica rector, Dr. Vahid Karavelić on behalf of the Council of Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals.

The conference brought together prominent names of academia and wider social communities, and as exhibitors were attended by Miro Lazović, academic Mirko Pejanović, academic Ejup Ganić, Prof. Dr. Jasmin Ahić, Prof. Dr. Lada Sadiković, General Vahid Karavelić, Prof. Dr. Goran Kovacevic, Prof. Dr. Sead Turvil, academic Kasim Trnka, Mr. Sci. Emir Zlatar, Prof. Dr. Bakir Alispahić, Prof. Dr. Larisa Velić, Prof. Dr. Edin Becirevic, Prof. Dr. Ivo Komšić, Prof. Dr. Edita Hasković, doc. dr. Nerma Halilović-Kibrić, Kenan Hodzic, MA, Strajo Krsmanović, Adil Kulenović, Dr. Sci. Kata Senj, Prof. Dr. Dževad Drino, Prof. Dr. Sakib Softić, Prof. Dr. Enis Omerović, Admir Katica, Ajdin Huseinspahić and many other participants.

UNSA Rector, Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj stressed that this scientific set represents a unique opportunity to consider the role we have as a university community in facing the challenges that shape our reality.

Academic Prof. Dr. Mirko Pejanović states that on 1 March 1992, he was a historical event, “because BiH in one historical context of the disappearance of the Yugoslav Socialist Federation was before the challenge of whether to achieve its political future in terms of defining state-of-legal status in new historical circumstances or would become the territory of others interest”.

He recalled that 64 percent of citizens had taken place in the referendum, who voted by their will the state-of-law status of the sovereign independent state of BiH.

University of Zenica Rector, Prof. Dr. Jusuf Duraković believes that the academic community no longer has the right to remain silent.

“We have to address, we must talk about all the important issues for this country. Conferences and round tables will not solve the matter of BiH. No dialogue has no progress. We all need to invest a lot more in knowledge, applicatively, transferable knowledge and in the economic development of this country”, Rector Duraković pointed out.

Secretary General of the Council of Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals Mr. Sc. Emir Zlatar, pointed out in a press statement that this scientific conference is joining public pressure that authorities are without delay engaging in meeting the remaining requirements for the opening of the EU's negotiating process.

“What is the specific one on March 1 is that he was suspended by Dayton, as the Constitution of the Republic of BiH was suspended, a new Constitution was imposed on which citizens never declared themselves. In these circumstances, BiH has been operating for more than 20 years. We appreciate that all the step forwards that go in that direction, ie the BiH Brussels path principled and essentially will have to return to the settings of what was the referendum issue, and from which we moved away” he said.

Professor Lada Sadiković also recalled the importance of 1 March as well as the whole process, and stressed the fact that BiH will have to implement the Strasbourg judgments, as human rights respect is crucial.

This scientific set in which participation was taken by distinguished members of the academic and wider community was an opportunity to, on the one hand, see and review twenty-eight years of peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially from the corner of the geopolitical changes that led to the granting of candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the European Union. On the other hand, it was also an opportunity to look at all security aspects, in the conditions of a constant challenge to its independence and territorial sovereignty.

The State of Bosnia and Herzegovina remains, after thirty-one years of admission to the United Nations Organization and twenty-one years from admission to the Council of Europe, a state that is unable to carry out its regional and international obligations on its own (Middle of the Venice Commission). Although the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has rendered a number of binding judgments, the political system has not yet changed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The conference provided an opportunity to look at all possible reasons for the long-term, both stagnation and backwardness, the consequences of which all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina suffer. At the same time, there was a reason, to try to provide possible solutions, which would be the final light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the principle of the principle non sub homine seventh sub lege.