Culture of Dependency and Federal Spirit in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Almost thirty years after the General Framework for Peace (DPA) was initialled in Dayton and then signed in Paris, Bosnia and Herzegovina has not taken full ownership over its governance. The Office of the High Representative (OHR), which has been given the responsibility to oversee the civilian implementation of the DPA, has been heavily criticized for being controversial, undemocratic, illegal, and it has been seen as an obstacle to the EU integration of the country. This paper analyses the effects of civilian international presence on the governance of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It argues that such strong and long-lasting international control fosters a culture of dependency in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which in turn jeopardizes the creation of federal spirit in the country.