ACCESSION OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (BiH) TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

BiH Accession to the EU

For years now the accession of Bosnia and Herzogovina (BiH) to the EU has been spoken of
as our arrival to the promised land the moment when all our problems will be solved. I do
not believe this. I believe that our country has a lot more to lose than it has to gain through
EU membership. It is unnecessary to dwell too much on the potential loss of political,
legislative and economic independence, because we are in a similar situation at present, when
the EU, via the High Representative, lets it be known both directly and indirectly that, in its
opinion, we are not clever enough or sufficiently capable of managing our own affairs. In this
essay I wish to concentrate on some other equally important questions, which I believe are of
great importance when considering reasons against EU accession.

The migration of populations from undeveloped to developed countries is a problem with

which we are all very familiar. From the beginning of the 1990s and the terrible events in
this region which we are all familiar with the primary aim of young and educated people
was, and remains, quite simple: to get out of here. As well as the problems that arise from
the lack of an educated workforce, a further obstacle is the reduction in the number of people
capable of work those who effectively fill the states coffers. This problem is already having
an impact on the economy of both our own country and similar states, and with time it will
become more and more obvious.

From an economic point of view, the process of EU accession may be considered in a narrow
or a wider sense. In the wider sense it involves the connection of national economies into a
single-world economy. In the narrower sense it involves companies business affairs, a
change in the movement of goods, services and knowledge, and the migration of capital in
light of foreign direct investment. (J Komazec, Uticaj globalizacije na trino poslovanje
[Influence of Globalisation on Doing Business in a Market Economy], MediaPromet,
Belgrade, 2007.) Our country will only be capable of providing a cheap workforce. And I am
afraid that we will only be able to work as manual labourers who will be, both literally and
figuratively, led by others.

Politically speaking, EU accession is also marked by an interesting paradox: namely that

borders are erased but, ironically, are at the same time strengthened. Within the union, it
appears that a countrys policies concern everybody, but are simultaneously nobodys
business. And no-one seemingly has the power to do anything to change this situation. N
Chomsky, Mediji, propaganda i sistem [Media, Propaganda and the System], Online, Zagreb,
2006.

Laws on human rights are paramount. But only where some of us are concerned. For others
they really are not important. We save each other from tyranny, but in doing so we destroy
ourselves. There are numerous examples of this, but they all reflect Orwells famous sentence
from Animal Farm: All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

In the end, we should mention one more exceptionally important matter, and that is the
problem of preserving the environment. EU accession brings with it technological
development, prosperity, progress and, unfortunately,. pollution. Facing the dilemma of
money or ecology, the powerful still choose money. Simple but true. What is worse is that
this is not entirely incomprehensible.

If we consider the possibility of building a factory in our neighbourhood, which we know will
certainly harm plant and animal life, but will create hundreds of jobs, the choice always falls
on the side of the factory. That situation changes when we ultimately realise that the factory
could endanger the lives and health of our children.

It is exactly the same thing with politicians and the CEOs of large multinational corporations.
Of course they are careful to preserve the environment. But not in Bosnia, not in Serbia, not
in..Honduras just in their own countries.

The great attraction is the European Union, and other forms of integration and alliances, that
have for years been forcing small countries to make great efforts to break into that select
company. I am certainly not claiming that this is a bad thing, in fact quite the opposite.
However, I do think that nobody yet knows with confidence what the consequences are, or
exactly what we will have to give up in order to satisfy the endless conditions membership
requires.

We are forced to chase after some promised potential future advantage. It is sad, but true
that we wish to be part of a group which is not sure that it wants us, but at the same time is
quite certain that we do not deserve membership right now.

Globalisation has already brought us changes in our way of life, in the way we think, and the
manner in which we conduct business. As I have already stated, but will repeat, nothing is
simply black or white. All changes have both their good and bad sides. And its the same with
EU accession.

We should familiarise ourselves with both the good and the bad, and then, on the basis of the
facts, make a conscious decision as to what we want and what price we must pay for it.
Otherwise it could just happen and then we may realise our mistake too late. As the proverb
says: Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.