Bosnia. Security situation 'calm', says Althea

(BRUXELLES2) Le rapport trimestriel des militaires européens déployés en Bosnie-Herzégovine (opération EUFOR Althea) témoigne du faible risque en matière militaire ces derniers mois (ce rapport couvre la période de septembre à novembre). Les difficultés demeurent, en revanche, au plan politique, économique également, et de la structure de l’Etat, note le chef d’opération.

Calm situation despite economic deterioration and nationalist rhetoric

The general security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is “calm and stable throughout the period ". " Bien que les rhétoriques nationalistes continuent, cela n’a pas d’impact sur l’environnement sûr et sécurisé » (which is the key concept of the Eufor mission in Bosnia). « La crise économique continue d’affecter la Bosnie-Herzégovine (1) et a conduit à un certain nombre de grèves, principalement à Sarajevo, qui cause certaines perturbations sur les routes et la circulation entre les villes. Toutes ces grèves ont un cadre et un but professionnel (NB: not political or ethnic) et peuvent être gérées par les services de maintien de l’ordre de la Bosnie-Herzégovine, elles n’ont pas d’impact sur la situation sécuritaire globale. »

2000 men

EUFOR a environ 2000 hommes (actuellement), concentrés à Sarajevo (au camp Butmir) avec des équipes d’observation et de liaison (OMLT) déployées dans toute la Bosnie. Le 19 novembre dernier, EUFOR a remis la responsabilité aux autorités bosniaques de la dernière des Affaires militaires conjointes (Joint Military Affairs, JMA) : il s’agit du contrôle des mouvements civils (qui assure le contrôle des mouvements d’armes et d’équipements militaires). EUFOR continue d’apporter un soutien aux 1300 JMA transmis aux autorités  bosniaques (déminage, gestion de sites de munition, entreprises de défense…). Durant la période, l’armée bosniaque et les forces européennes ont également conduits des formations en commun, notamment des modules de formation spécialisés. Des officiers supérieurs de l’armée bosniaque ont participé à des exercices (théoriques) d’Eufor et des unités bosniaques à des exercices tactiques. Ce qui, en quelque sorte, une préfiguration de la Althea II mission.

Persistent stalemate in political matters

Bosnia and Herzegovina has made limited progress on its reform agenda during this period note the authors of the report. " La rhétorique des nationalistes, anti-Dayton continue. Les agendas ethniques et des entités continuent de primer sur les intérêts de l’Etat, ce qui ralentit le travail du conseil des ministres et l’assemblée parlementaire de la Bosnie-Herzégovine. Les cinq partis de la coalition au  gouvernement sont face à une impasse sur la nomination des directions de trois agences d’Etat dont les postes sont vacants depuis longtemps ou viennent à terme : la Direction pour l’intégration européenne l’Autorité de la taxation indirecte, l’Agence de régulation des communications. Despite everything, a new director of the DEI was appointed in September and a new Minister of Security in November. ».

Des progrès limités dans la marche vers l’Europe

Ceci explique l’avis négatif de la Commission européenne dans le rapport de progrès de la mi-octobre. En revanche, le rapport relève un point positif : « progress has been made on the visa liberalization roadmap, with Bosnia and Herzegovina fulfilling most of the relevant conditions ". Progress is also limits » pour le respect des obligations requises par le conseil d’administration du Peace Implementation Council (PIC) pour la transition de l’OHR – le Haut représentant de la communauté internationale – vers un  Représentant spécial de l’UE. Les cinq objectifs et les deux conditions mises pour la transition sont loin d’être remplis, avait d’ailleurs
estimated the PIC on November 18 and 19.

(1) La Bosnie est touchée de plein fouet par la crise économique : augmentation du chômage de façon importante, baisse de moitié des investissements directs étrangers durant les six premiers mois de l’année. Une aide du FMI a été déclenchée.

Extracts from the report

“The security situation is expected to remain stable despite the prospects of continuing political tension.”

“BiH made limited progress on its reform agenda during the reporting period. Nationalist, anti-Dayton rhetoric continued. Ethnic and entity agendas that prevail over the interests of the state also adversely affected the performance of the Council of Ministers and the BiH Parliamentary Assembly.”

“The five-party coalition government at state level and the Council of Ministers faced a deadlock in appointing the directorships of three state agencies that have long been vacant or occupied by incumbents whose terms have expired: the Directorate for  European Integration (DEI), the Indirect Taxation Authority (ITA) and the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA). Despite these delays, a new DEI director was appointed by the Civil Service Agency in September, and a new Minister of Security in November.”

“As a result of the negative political climate, the European Commission concluded in its Progress Report in mid-October that BiH had made only limited progress in addressing key reforms. On a more positive note, progress was achieved on the visa liberalization roadmap with BiH completing most of the relevant conditions.”

“Limited progress was also made on the fulfilment of the outstanding requirements set by the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Steering Board for the transition from the OHR to the EUSR. (…) As a result of the lack of progress, the PIC Steering Board at its meeting on 18-19 November expressed serious concern with the insufficient progress that BiH authorities had made in delivering the five objectives and two conditions that remain necessary for the closure of the OHR.”

"Economic indicators continue to demonstrate the adverse impact that the global economic crisis is having on BiH, with rising unemployment, and foreign direct investments dropping by more than 50% in the first six months compared to the same period last year. To mitigate the effects of the crisis, the IMF agreed in May to a three-year Stand-by Arrangement worth ?1.2 billion. In November the IMF reviewed BiH's progress in meeting the agreed benchmarks, and made payment of the second tranche conditional on progress made. A positive verdict will hinge, in part, on the Federation government's ability to implement benefit cuts on war veterans and other politically sensitive social categories.

“The overall security situation in BiH remained calm and stable throughout the reporting period. Although nationalistic rhetoric continued, it had no impact on the safe and secure environment. The economic downturn continued to affect BiH, and led to a number of strikes mostly conducted in Sarajevo, which continued to cause disruption to city transportation routes. All of these were professionally and capably handled by BiH law enforcement agencies; and had no impact on the overall security situation.”

“The strength of some 2,000 troops is concentrated in Sarajevo, with liaison and observation teams deployed throughout BiH. EUFOR continued to conduct operations in line with its mandate: providing deterrence; ensuring continued compliance in relation to the responsibilities specified in the General Framework Agreement for Peace, Annexes 1A and 2; and contributing to the maintenance of the safe and secure environment.

“There has been further progress in the area of Joint Military Affairs (JMA): on 19 November, EUFOR handed responsibility to the BiH authorities for the last JMA task, Civilian Movement Control (the Control of Movement of Weapons and Military Equipment). As with other JMA tasks already transferred to the BiH authorities, EUFOR will continue to monitor, mentor and advise in order to enhance the self-sustainability of the BiH capabilities. In this context, EUFOR monitored more than 1,300 different JMA activities by the BiH authorities during the reporting period in the areas of: management of Ammunition and Weapon Storage Sites; Civilian and Military movement of weapons and military equipment; disposal of surplus weapons and ammunition; defence industry factories; and AFBiH demining activities.”

12. During the reporting period, EUFOR and AFBiH continued to conduct combined training in line with the 2009 EUFOR/AFBiH training calendar by including specialized training elements in line with international training requirements and standards. AFBiH senior officers participated in EUFOR Map exercises; and AFBiH units up to company level in EUFOR tactical exercises.