Latest blog post
Tilting at Windmills? Bottom-Up Individuals Trying to Undo the Damage of Top-Down Politics
Peter Lippman’s book on return, engagement, and peacebuilding in Bosnia and Herzegovina offers an excellent historical survey of the past 25+ years, while providing insights that should inform current policy making.
Our Mission
DPC’s mission is to press established and emerging democracies and transnational and international institutions to pursue policies based on liberal democratic values and principles within the scope of their international engagements and commitments. Through its research, analysis, advocacy and public engagement, DPC seeks to draw the attention of policymakers, legislators and civil society to encroachments on freedoms within the democratic framework.
News
Czernin Security Forum 2020
DPC Senior Associate Valery Perry will participate in a panel entitled, “”Whose security? Divisions in Europe on Threats and Security Responses.” For more on this year’s Forum click here.
Book Review of Perry’s Extremism and Violent Extremism in Serbia
Valery Perry’s edited volume, Extremism and Violent Extremism in Serbia. 21st Century Manifestations of a Historical Challenge, was reviewed by Srđan Mladenov Jovanović in the latest edition of Südosteuropa. Read the review here.
Burying the Lede: The Priebe Report’s Surprisingly Clear Recommendation
The long-awaited “Experts’ Report on Rule of Law issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina” – in short, the so-called Priebe Report on BiH – dropped on December 5. In light of continued human suffering in Syria; impeachment news from the US; the ongoing self-inflicted wound of Brexit politics; migrants freezing in Bihac and[…]
The EU Must Shift Out of Neutral in Its Enlargement Strategy: Championing Liberal Values Means Choosing Sides
On October 17, 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron once again pre-empted the launch of European Union accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, forestalling them until further notice. His move was only tenuously linked to the individual merits of either country. Its real rationale was evident at the time and came into…
Waffling About Needed Institutional Reform in Bosnia – Considering the Belgian Approach
From 2010 – 2011, Belgium earned a record by having the longest period of time in which a developed country was without an elected government – 589 days – after being unable to form a government following elections held in June 2010.
They shouldn’t have to be heroes
A few days ago, on November 20, we were each sitting in the large main assembly hall in the Parliament building in Sarajevo. The EU had convened a meeting to discuss the rule of law and the judiciary in BiH. However, an observer who hadn’t seen the agenda would have been excused for thinking the topic of the event was corruption, as that was the topic on the minds of the participants for the bulk of the 5-hour event.
Today, the @EUCouncil (the EU member states) adopted conclusions in which it condemns blockages of #BiH institutions and lack of progress, failing to acknowledge the security aspects of the threat Dodik has posed to a safe and secure environment. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/10/18/bosnia-and-herzegovina-council-approves-conclusions-on-eufor-operation-althea/
Our Senior Associate @tobyvogel tells @derStandardat that the EU's reticence in confronting Dodik created the space for a serious escalation, with support from Belgrade and Moscow.
(in German)
https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000130455137/nationalisten-gefaehrden-militaermission-in-bosnien