A powder keg once more?: Contemporary separatist movements in Bosnia & Herzegovina and how it may reshape the Western Balkans

Abstract

The aim of this thesis project was to analyse views held by political representatives from select nations on contemporary issues affecting Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, the key focus of this thesis was on the pressing issue of the potential secession of the Republika Srpska entity from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Other factors such as political representation, foreign interference, and the standing of Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the international community, were brought in and analysed to examine how these issues may be affecting the potential for Republika Srpska secession. As part of this, qualitative data was gathered through an interview process, within which 9 interviews took place between March-May 2023 across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. The final analysis of gathered responses highlighted clear disagreement along ethnic lines on not only the potential, but feasibility of an eventual secession attempt being attempted by the current Republika Srpska administration. Furthermore, disagreement was found between different ethnic groups on the role of foreign actors and the international community within Bosnia and Herzegovina. More specifically, different groups viewed international actors, namely Russia and Turkey, in various ways, with some seeing them as their people’s closest ally, and some, their greatest hindrance to development. However, most interviewees from all backgrounds agreed on the need for stronger integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the international community, namely implementing political reforms in order to eventually attain membership of the European Union.