2014 riots in Bosnia and Herzegovina
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The 2014 unrest in Bosnia and Herzegovina was a series of demonstrations and riots that began in the northern town of
Tuzla Tuzla (, ) is the third-largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the administrative center of Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 110,979 inhabitants. Tuzla is the economic, cultural, e ...
on 4 February 2014 but quickly spread to multiple cities in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
, including
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
,
Zenica Zenica ( ; ; ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna river valley, about north of Sarajevo. The city is k ...
,
Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...
, Jajce, and
Brčko Brčko ( sr-cyrl, Брчко, ) is a city and the administrative seat of Brčko District, in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies on the banks of Sava river across from Croatia. As of 2013, it has a population of 39,893 inhabitants. De jure, ...
, among others, for social reasons and with the aim of overthrowing the government. The riots were the most violent scenes the country had seen since the end of the Bosnian War in 1995. The rioting largely took place in the entity of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the same level of unrest or activism did not occur in
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, lit=Serb Republic, also known as Republic of Srpska, ) is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is locat ...
. Some news sources, such as
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
and ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', used the name Bosnian Spring when describing the riots, a terminology taken from other events such the
Arab Spring The Arab Spring ( ar, الربيع العربي) was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in Tunisia in response to corruption and econo ...
and the Prague Spring. The Swedish politician
Carl Bildt Nils Daniel Carl Bildt (born 15 July 1949) is a Swedish politician and diplomat who was Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994. He was the leader of the Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999. Bildt served as Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affair ...
also said that "in some places there has been talk about a Bosnian Spring". Most of the riots calmed down by 8 February, although protesting continued throughout the days that followed. By April 2014, the protests had faded away due to decreasing participation. A '' Balkan Insight'' article said they "ran out of steam."


Background

After World War II,
Tuzla Tuzla (, ) is the third-largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the administrative center of Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 110,979 inhabitants. Tuzla is the economic, cultural, e ...
developed into a major industrial and cultural centre during the communist period in the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yu ...
. During the first decade of the 21st century, four former state-owned companies, including furniture and washing powder factories, were sold to private owners who were contracted to invest in and make them profitable. Instead, the new owners opted for
asset stripping Asset stripping is a term used to refer to the practice of selling off a company's assets in order to improve returns for equity investors. In many cases where the term is used, a financial investor, referred to as a ' corporate raider', takes con ...
, stopped paying workers and filed for bankruptcy. The closures left hundreds of workers without jobs in a country that already has a high unemployment rate of between 27%–47%. Although official data show that 27.5 percent of its working population is unemployed, at least another 20 percent of people are estimated to be engaged in the so-called grey economy. An average monthly salary in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
is 500
euro The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...
s (about $450), with one in five citizens living below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
.


Protests

The protests mark the largest outbreak of public anger over high unemployment and two decades of political inertia in the Balkan country of 3.8 million people since the end of the 1992–95 war.


Tuzla

;4–5 February Protests began on 4 February 2014, peacefully, in the city of
Tuzla Tuzla (, ) is the third-largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the administrative center of Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 110,979 inhabitants. Tuzla is the economic, cultural, e ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
, but turned violent the following day when hundreds of demonstrators, mostly former employees of several big companies, such as Dita, Polihem, Guming and Konjuh, clashed with police near the Tuzla local government building demanding compensation and calling on Tuzla officials to intervene instantly. Demonstrators blame local officials for allowing several state firms to collapse between 2000 and 2008 after being
privatized Privatization (also privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation when ...
, leaving many unemployed. The protests later spread to various cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina, including
Bihać Bihać ( cyrl, Бихаћ) is a city and the administrative centre of Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the banks of river Una in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovin ...
,
Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...
,
Zenica Zenica ( ; ; ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna river valley, about north of Sarajevo. The city is k ...
, Kakanj and the capital
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
. Due to the recent closures of factories and firms in Tuzla, at least 600 protesters tried to storm the building of the Tuzla local government, accusing authorities of turning a blind eye to the collapse of a number of state firms after their privatization. Some of the protesters threw eggs, flares and stones at the windows of the building and set tires on fire, blocking traffic in the city center. Police eventually forced demonstrators back and cordoned off the building. One of the hundreds of protesters in the city said: "This is the start of the Bosnian Spring," alluding to the ongoing
Arab Spring The Arab Spring ( ar, الربيع العربي) was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in Tunisia in response to corruption and econo ...
which began in 2010. The protesters gathered in front of the cantonal government building, requesting compensation and repayments of healthcare and pension payments after the privatized companies for which they worked failed. Local media reports said that some protesters scuffled with police after breaking into the cantonal government building, while others set garbage containers and tires on fire. It was reported that, by the end of the day, a total of twenty-two people, including 17 police officers, had been injured, while 24 were arrested for their involvement in the protests. As a result of the police brutality the day before, protesters were outraged. The next day, the number of protesters grew enormously; around 6,000 individuals gathered in front of the cantonal government building. The number of injured individuals also rose enormously. According to local newspapers, around 100 policemen were injured, with most of the injuries due to being hit by stones. 11 cars were destroyed and 27 protesters were arrested. Around 20 civilians sustained minor injuries. ;6 February On Thursday, 6 February, the protests spread into multiple cities in the country, at first by people who wanted to show solidarity with the citizens of Tuzla. In the capital city,
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
, protesters clashed with police who had blocked traffic in the city center. Four officers were hospitalized. Over 200 people blocked traffic in
Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...
and about 150
Zenica Zenica ( ; ; ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna river valley, about north of Sarajevo. The city is k ...
citizens protested in front of their local government building. One of the protestors in Zenica was quoted: "Today we fought for Tuzla, tomorrow we fight for all of us." Protests also broke out in
Bihać Bihać ( cyrl, Бихаћ) is a city and the administrative centre of Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the banks of river Una in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovin ...
and
Tešanj Tešanj ( sr-cyrl, Тешањ) is a town and municipality located in the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 43,063 inhabitants, while the town ...
, among others. 27 people who had been arrested the day before were released. That day also marked the first time since the start of the uprising that police used
tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ...
on the crowds. More than two dozen people were hospitalized with tear-gas-related injuries. Schools throughout Tuzla were closed and residents of buildings yelled insults and threw buckets of water at the officers who passed-by in full riot gear. Elderly neighbors banged on their windows and balconies. ;7 February On 7 February, mass crowds began to gather at the same place and in over 20 major cities across the country. People gathered in their city centers to support the protests in Tuzla. According to the official statements, more than 130 people, including 104 police officers, were injured on the third day of anti-government demonstrations in Tuzla alone. After a long day of waiting, 10,000 outraged protesters broke through the last line of police defense around the cantonal government building. Around 100 younger protesters stormed into the building, throwing furniture and papers out of the windows and burning the building afterwards. Even quick intervention by local fire crews could not prevent the fire from spreading to other floors. The protesters gave them a "calm hour," after which the protests continued in front of the cantonal court. Protesters asked workers of the cantonal court to address them about their plans in freeing the remaining protesters arrested that day and the day before, which included the leader and organizer of the demonstrations. Shortly thereafter, a rain of stones started hitting the cantonal court. The group of 10,000 people started moving towards the municipal building, where all workers were evacuated before the angry mob arrived. The attack on the municipal building included a few short fights between the protesters and the special police units. It included the use of tear gas, which outraged the protesters even more. After the police fell back, protesters started throwing bricks and stones at the building, breaking windows that way. Shortly after burning the municipal building, it was announced that the police forces had switched sides and joined the protesters. During the unrest on Friday, 7 February, the mayor of
Brčko Brčko ( sr-cyrl, Брчко, ) is a city and the administrative seat of Brčko District, in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies on the banks of Sava river across from Croatia. As of 2013, it has a population of 39,893 inhabitants. De jure, ...
was taken hostage by the crowd for a short while and then released. In the afternoon, a unit of
special police Special police usually describes a police force or unit within a police force whose duties and responsibilities are significantly different from other forces in the same country or from other police in the same force, although there is no consiste ...
of the Tuzla canton, under commanding officer Dževad Korman, lowered their
shields A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of ...
and took off their helmets, which caused a wave of enthusiasm from the crowd, the members of which then approached and shook hands with the special forces members. Both the regular and the judicial police followed suit in front of the
court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in acco ...
and the
prosecution A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the Civil law (legal system), civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the ...
buildings. ;8 February By 8 February, the riots had stopped and all the people had resumed peaceful protests and began clearing the streets of garbage and debris.


Zenica

On 7 February, protestors in
Zenica Zenica ( ; ; ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna river valley, about north of Sarajevo. The city is k ...
forced their way through a police cordon and set fire to a local government building and surrounding cars. The entire government of
Zenica-Doboj Canton The Zenica-Doboj Canton (; hr, Zeničko-dobojska županija; sr, Зеничко-добојски кантон) is one of 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cantonal seat is the City of Zenica ...
announced that they would resign during their next meeting. On 9 February, late in the night, the government of the Zenica-Doboj Canton analyzed the situation. On 10 February, protesters gathered again in front of the Cantonal building demanding immediate changes in social politics. Protest representatives held a meeting with the government officials to present their demands. During the protests, the main city
boulevard A boulevard is a type of broad avenue planted with rows of trees, or in parts of North America, any urban highway. Boulevards were originally circumferential roads following the line of former city walls. In American usage, boulevards may ...
was blocked for traffic.


Sarajevo

;7 February
Tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ...
and smoke blanketed downtown Sarajevo, where police opened fire with
rubber bullet Rubber bullets (also called rubber baton rounds) are a type of baton round. Despite the name, rubber bullets typically have either a metal core with a rubber coating, or are a homogeneous admixture with rubber being a minority component. Alth ...
s on several thousand protesters who set fire to the headquarters of the capital's cantonal government.
Water cannon A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-velocity stream of water. Typically, a water cannon can deliver a large volume of water, often over dozens of meters. They are used in firefighting, large vehicle washing, riot control, and mining ...
was also used to disperse protesters who were trying to enter the
presidency building The Presidency Building (or the Building of the Presidency; sh, Zgrada Predsjedništva / Зграда Предсједништва) is the official residence of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the Centar Municipality of Sar ...
. Dense smoke was caused by the burning of several police cars near the Building of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was also heavily damaged when the demonstrators set fire to sections of the State Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is located there. Demonstrators also torched and stoned the building of the
Centar Municipality, Sarajevo Centar ( Cyrillic: Центар, lit. ”Center") is a municipality of the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located between the older parts of the city under Stari Grad, and the newer more modern parts of the city under the munici ...
, as well as the seat of the regional government of the Sarajevo Canton. ;8–9 February Peaceful protests with at least 200 people continued at 16:00 on 8 February, protesters demanding release of some young people from prisons that were involved in violent riots days earlier. The protesters called for peaceful protests to continue and demand the change of current government. Spokesperson for the municipal court of Sarajevo, Alem Hamzić, stated that 33 protesters have been released—adding, "Criminal proceedings will be launched against some ten demonstrators with court likely imposing prohibitive measures. Prohibitive measures include: ban on meeting and communicating, confiscation of passports and identity documents, and they will need to report twice weekly to the relevant police department." Peaceful demonstrations continued throughout the day of 9 February. ;10 February Some time after 10 o'clock in the evening, an explosion in Skenderija shocked the Sarajevo metropolitan area; reports are that there are no casualties.


Bihać

Protests began in Bihać as early as 6 February. On 8 February, over 3,000 disgruntled citizens rallied at the Town Square to express dissatisfaction with the government of the
Una-Sana Canton The Una-Sana Canton (Serbian and / Унско-сански кантон; ) is one of the ten cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the northwest of the country and has been ...
, one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's ten post-war cantons, demanding the resignation of the canton's Prime Minister Hamdija Lipovača and the Minister of the Police. In front of the local government building, protesters from all over the country were met by police. Protesters shouted "Thieves!" and "We want resignation!" and asked the police to side with them. Police officers confiscated a number of
Molotov cocktail A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see other names'') is a hand thrown incendiary weapon constructed from a frangible container filled with flammable substances equipped with a fuse (typically a glass bottle filled with fla ...
s. Shops in the city center closed down as a precautionary measure. Hundreds of protesters gathered around Prime Minister Lipovača's home, fighting against the police and demanding resignation. The clash with police injured several people and the crowd later dispersed. On 10 February 2014, after days of protests that involved at least 3,000 people, the Prime Minister of the
Una-Sana Canton The Una-Sana Canton (Serbian and / Унско-сански кантон; ) is one of the ten cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the northwest of the country and has been ...
Hamdija Lipovača officially resigned.


UDAR in May

On 5 May the anti-government organization under the name of "UDAR", which was already involved in the unrest, announced new protests on 9 May in Sarajevo. The protesters have planned to march from all cities and towns in Bosnia, primarily
Tuzla Tuzla (, ) is the third-largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the administrative center of Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 110,979 inhabitants. Tuzla is the economic, cultural, e ...
,
Zenica Zenica ( ; ; ) is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an administrative and economic center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Zenica-Doboj Canton. It is located in the Bosna river valley, about north of Sarajevo. The city is k ...
and
Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...
, as well as other towns. However, any events announced earlier never occurred.


Neighboring countries

Protests were held on 12 February in Belgrade, Serbia, and on 13 February in
Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Slov ...
, Croatia, in support of the ongoing political struggle in Bosnia. Two women were reported to have been detained by the police in Zagreb. There were reports of anti-government protests coming from neighbouring
Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...
and also
Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
.


Resignations

* Sead Čaušević, Prime Minister of Tuzla Canton. *
Munib Husejnagić Munib Husejnagić (born 17 September 1959) is a Bosnian politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Zenica-Doboj Canton from 20 June 2013 until his forced resignation less than eight months later, amid the violent protests and riots in Bosnia ...
, Prime Minister of Zenica-Doboj Canton. * Suad Zeljković, Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton. * Hamdija Lipovača, Prime Minister of Una-Sana Canton.


Damages

;Monetary The estimated cost in all the cities across the country has been estimated by the Klix portal February, during the riotsto be around 50 million KM (≈ €25 million). ;Cultural Large amounts of historical documents were destroyed when sections of the Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, housed in the presidential building, were set on fire. Among the lost archival material were documents and gifts from the Ottoman period, original documents from the 1878–1918
Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina fell under Austro-Hungarian rule in 1878, when the Congress of Berlin approved the occupation of the Bosnia Vilayet, which officially remained part of the Ottoman Empire. Three decades later, in 1908, Austria-Hungary pr ...
, as well as documentations of the interwar period, the 1941–1945 rule of the
Independent State of Croatia The Independent State of Croatia ( sh, Nezavisna Država Hrvatska, NDH; german: Unabhängiger Staat Kroatien; it, Stato indipendente di Croazia) was a World War II-era puppet state of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. It was established in p ...
, papers from the following years, and about 15,000 files from the 1996–2003 Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the repositories that were burnt, about 60 percent of the material was lost, according to estimates by Šaban Zahirović, the head of the Archives. Zahirović also mentioned issues with water damage from the firefighting, but said that it could be dealt with. Further, he wanted to clarify that there are four different buildings that store material for the Archives, but "those who claimed that 99.9% of the material was saved were uninformed and wrong." Numerous organizations and foreign archives have offered to help with the restoration, and the Turkish agency TIKA has taken an initiative to assist with the preservation of the remaining documents. Seven of the rioters in Sarajevo were suspected of having started the fire; two (Salem Hatibović and Nihad Trnka) were arrested. On 4 April 2014, both were released (although still under suspicion of terrorism), on conditions that they don't leave their places of residence and abstain from having any contact with each other. Both were also mandated to report to the police once every week.


Consequences

;Economic Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems is believed to have stopped investment into Tuzla Thermal Power Plant, due to city riots and political situation thereafter.


Reactions


Domestic

*—On 7 February 2014, the Federation Prime Minister
Nermin Nikšić Nermin Nikšić (; born 27 December 1960) is a Bosnian politician who served as the 8th Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2011 to 2015. He is the current president of the Social Democratic Party and is a former membe ...
held a press conference, with prosecutors, and accused
hooligan Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events. Etymology There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a ...
s of creating chaos.
Bakir Izetbegović Bakir Izetbegović (; born 28 June 1956) is a Bosnian politician who served as the 6th Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2010 to 2018. He is the current president of the Party of Democratic Action and member of the ...
, one of the country's three presidents and leader of the
Party of Democratic Action The Party of Democratic Action ( bs, Stranka demokratske akcije; abbr. SDA) is a Bosniak nationalist, conservative political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. History The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) was founded on 26 May 1990 in Sarajevo, ...
said, "I believe that people want a change of power. I believe that within three months we should offer citizens a chance to choose who they trust, because it's obvious that this isn't working anymore." Bosnian minister
Zlatko Lagumdžija Zlatko Lagumdžija (born 26 December 1955) is a Bosnian former politician who served as the 4th Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2001 to 2002. He also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2001 to 2002 and ...
said, "Now, it is time for citizens to talk and for politicians to listen in silence. We should create a dialogue environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina." *—President
Milorad Dodik Milorad Dodik ( sr-cyrl, Милорад Додик, ; born 12 March 1959) is a Bosnian Serb politician serving as the 8th president of Republika Srpska since November 2022. Previously, he served as the 7th Serb member of the Presidency of Bo ...
has expressed that he is "proud of the citizens in Republika Srpska" for not falling for provocations that could make the unrests in the Federation entity of BiH spread further. He has also expressed suspicions that there might be an underlying political project that intends to somehow make the recent unrests expand into Republika Srpska entity of BiH.


Supranational

*—Spokesman for the
European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy The Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement is the member of the European Commission in charge of overseeing the accession process of prospective new member states and relations with those bordering the European Union (EU). The present ...
Štefan Füle Štefan Füle (born 24 May 1962 in Sokolov) is a former Czech diplomat who served as the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy from February 2010 until October 2014. Early life and education Füle was born on ...
called for protesters and police to avoid resorting to violence. On 18 February, Füle, disappointed with the results of talks with the leaders of seven most influential political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, decided to end his pursuit in trying to make a deal to put the Sejdić–Finci verdict into effect. "It is time for the Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions to take matters into their own hands and solve the issue. The implementation of the verdict is the key of Bosnia and Herzegovina's advancement to EU membership, but also the protection of the rights of its citizens," Füle said.


International

*—High Representative for Bosnia, Austrian
Valentin Inzko Valentin Inzko (born 22 May 1949) is an Austrian diplomat who served as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2009 to 2021. He also served as the European Union Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2009 to 201 ...
, said that
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
will increase its number of troops in Bosnia, and if the situation worsens, he will bring in more EU troops. *—Croatia has called for an immediate cessation of violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatian ministry of Foreign and European Affairs stated: 'We are worriedly monitoring the development of events in Bosnia and Herzegovina and calling for urgent cessation of conflicts and violence. We call for all parties to establish a mutual communication because European, stable and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina is in the interest of all its citizens. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a perspective of being an EU member state and should resolve its conflicts in the spirit of one.' :Croatian president
Ivo Josipović Ivo Josipović (; born 28 August 1957) is a Croatian academic, jurist, and politician who served as President of Croatia from 2010 to 2015. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (SKJ), and played a key ...
commented on the riots while away at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. "I wish for our neighbours and friends to have the current situation n the countrycalm down as soon as possible. It's paramount that all of the social problems be solved within the democratic institutions and I hope that will be the case with Bosnia and Herzegovina, too," president Josipović said. :Croatian Foreign and European affairs minister Vesna Pusić said that "Bosnia and Herzegovina has, unlike some other difficult cases at this moment, a guaranteed European perspective; it has a confirmed path in front of it towards European integrates. I think that, even with all of the hardships, it is something which has a wide support as a direction of development for Bosnia and Herzegovina among its citizens, and thus I think it would be necessary to find a method of communication as soon as possible." She added she would be speaking about the situation on 10 February, in
Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
at the foreign affairs ministers' meeting. On 10 February, Pusić suggested to open the "prenegotiations" with Bosnia and Herzegovina to have them join the EU but there is no indication that the consensus has been reached on the matter. The European Commission stated that the implementing of the Sejdić–Finci verdict as the immovable condition of the Bosnia and Herzegovina's path towards the EU is "not the most productive of the ideas." However, they stated that the implementation of the verdict is very important for progress. On the other hand, in the European parliament,
Jelko Kacin Jelko Kacin (born 26 November 1955) is a Slovenian politician. During the Slovenian Independence War, he was the Secretary of Information of Slovenia. He founded the Slovenian Press Agency on 3 June 1991 and the war (also called the Ten-Day War ...
, Slovenian MEP openly opposed Pusić's suggestion in front of the
EU high representative The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) is the chief co-ordinator and representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) within the European Union (EU). The position is currently held b ...
Catherine Ashton, saying he is "against allowing Bosnia and Herzegovina a fast track towards the EU, because it would suit the political elite of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the very act which led its citizens to the edge of the abyss. Furthermore, the Sejdić–Finci verdict is about human rights, and your country, Croatia, knows all too well it's not possible to skip over steps towards the EU when we're talking about human rights." Kacin also commented it's hard to speak of opening the negotiations when Bosnia and Herzegovina's politicians can't decide whether or not to export milk, since one of the entities refuses to make the veterinary service state-level. "The matter could be resolved in a blink of an eye, but they cannot agree. And if they can't solve even that, how can we even talk about fast tracking?," Kacin said. Upon being asked a question if the EU is thinking about abolishing the
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, lit=Serb Republic, also known as Republic of Srpska, ) is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is locat ...
, Pusić said for the press that that isn't the way EU works. "EU is not an officer nor someone who can impose the inner arrangement of the country but it can create the conditions which attract people to the country. Not as a police officer, but through a soft power," said Pusić, adding she would be giving the details of the Bosnia and Herzegovina EU negotiation start plan to the diplomats in the EU institutions and afterwards to the public. :European Parliament member Davor Ivo Stier from the Croatian Democratic Union also commented on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. "When people who set things on fire in
Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...
are yelling 'This is Bosnia!,' it incredibly reminds me of the Chetniks during the aggression against Croatia yelling ' This is Serbia.'. When
Zlatko Lagumdžija Zlatko Lagumdžija (born 26 December 1955) is a Bosnian former politician who served as the 4th Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2001 to 2002. He also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2001 to 2002 and ...
accuses the
European parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
because of a resolution which condemns centralism, it is clear just how much the centralist elites are against the European peace project. Croatia and the EU cannot be passive towards this downward spiral of violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is time to show leadership. End to centralism! End to violence! It's time for a European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina!," he commented the riots in Bosnia and Herzegovina on his
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
profile. :
Prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
Zoran Milanović Zoran Milanović (; born 30 October 1966) is a Croatian politician serving as President of Croatia since 19 February 2020. Prior to assuming the presidency, he was prime minister from 2011 to 2016 and president of the Social Democratic Party f ...
visited Mostar, which was criticised in the capital Sarajevo, due to the expectations of the Croatian prime minister first visiting the capital city. In an interview with ''
Večernji list ''Večernji list'' (also known as ''Večernjak''; ) is a Croatian daily newspaper published in Zagreb. History and profile ''Večernji list'' was started in Zagreb in 1959. Its ancestor ''Večernji vjesnik'' ("Evening Courier") appeared for the ...
'', Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Fahrudin Radončić Fahrudin Radončić (; born 24 May 1957) is a Bosnian media magnate, entrepreneur, investor, and politician who served as the Minister of Security on two occasions. He is the founder of the ''Dnevni avaz,'' the best-selling newspaper in Bosnia an ...
said he would prefer if Milanović visited Sarajevo first but believed he had his best intentions in mind. :Robert Bubalo, ''Večernji list''s columnist, wrote how it is peculiar that nobody protested the arrival of Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoğlu Ahmet Davutoğlu (; born 26 February 1959) is a Turkish academic, politician and former diplomat who served as the 26th Prime Minister of Turkey and Leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) from 2014 to 2016. He previously served as ...
, since "his own government forcefully repressed protests with violence and bloodshed last year, his government which is corrupt and which hunts down intellectuals such as
Orhan Pamuk Ferit Orhan Pamuk (born 7 June 1952) is a Turkish novelist, screenwriter, academic, and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature. One of Turkey's most prominent novelists, his work has sold over thirteen million books in sixty-three lan ...
. No one to even ask him what Erdoğan meant by saying '
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
is ours and
Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
yours.' Imagine the reactions in Sarajevo if a celebrity, even a singer, said '
Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...
is ours, Lika is yours.'" He concluded by saying Milanović would be of greater help to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a prime minister of an EU member state, unlike the Turkish Foreign Minister. *— Christian Schwarz-Schilling who was the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and observed the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the Bosnian War on 14 December 1995, has said, "The politics that they have practiced must be stopped immediately. The privileges they oliticianshave enjoyed for too long from old times now must be curtailed. But this would necessitate involvement from the international community. And I don't see that coming. It's just like with
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
. There, the international community woke up only after a critical situation arose. The same thing will happen in Bosnia." *—
Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg The Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg is the second-highest position in the Luxembourgian cabinet. The Deputy serves a vital function in Luxembourg's collegiate cabinet system, deputises for the Prime Minister when he is absent, represents hi ...
Jean Asselborn Jean Asselborn (; born 27 April 1949) is a Luxembourgish politician who has served in the government of Luxembourg as Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2004. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2004 to 2013, under Prime Minister Jean- ...
dramatized the current situation further by stating, "We support all those who want stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The citizens have spoken. Bosnia is the biggest problem that European Union has in the Balkan region. We must defend the principle that Bosnia is one nation and never to be partitioned into three or four entities. I hope there are enough of those people in the European Union and Bosnia itself who want Bosnia to take the right path." *—Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister and current President
Aleksandar Vučić Aleksandar Vučić ( sr-Cyrl, Александар Вучић, ; born 5 March 1970) is a Serbian politician serving as the president of Serbia since 2017, and as the president of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) since 2012. Vučić serve ...
said, "There is no need to solve political problems by setting buildings on fire, using violence and beating up police. Serbia wants stability in the region, and thinks that is of essential importance." *— Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoğlu Ahmet Davutoğlu (; born 26 February 1959) is a Turkish academic, politician and former diplomat who served as the 26th Prime Minister of Turkey and Leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) from 2014 to 2016. He previously served as ...
made his appeal during a visit to Sarajevo, stating, "Today is the day to act in Bosnia and we must not wait any longer. Bosnia urgently needs international aid in the form of a new package of political and economic reforms. The Dayton peace agreement was of outmost importance for it helped end the war but it now hampers the functioning of the country." *—The US Embassy in Sarajevo issued a statement stating politicians should listen to the protesters and authorities should end the violence. "The use of violence distracts attention from the fundamental message we see the vast majority of protesters trying to make—that reform is necessary now," the statement said. *—
British Foreign Secretary The secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, known as the foreign secretary, is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Seen ...
William Hague William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
demands stagnation in Bosnian politics and government to come to an end, stating, "What happened in Bosnia is a wake-up call. We need to focus more efforts on helping Bosnia towards the EU, towards
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
membership, so that the stagnation in Bosnian politics and government can come to an end, and I think it's probably going to become a more important issue over the coming months."


Gallery

File:Municipality building in Zenica after 2014 Bosnian social riots.jpg, Municipality building in Zenica after the Bosnian social riots File:Municipality Zenica building the day after the riot in February 2014.jpg, Municipality Zenica building the day after the riot in February 2014 File:Tuzla riots.jpg, View at the Government Building of Tuzla Canton day after it was burned down; date: 8 February 2014 File:Zenica-Doboj Canton building the day after the riot in February 2014.jpg, Zenica-Doboj Canton building the day after the riot in February 2014 File:Sarajevo Kanton building, June 2014.JPG, The building of Kanton Sarajevo in June 2014, still bearing the marks of the February riots File:Sarajevo Kanton building, June 2014 (window).JPG, The building of Kanton Sarajevo in June 2014, still bearing the marks of the February riots File:Sarajevo Kanton building, June 2014 (corner).JPG, The building of Kanton Sarajevo in June 2014, still bearing the marks of the February riots


See also

*
Economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina The economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a transitional, upper middle income economy. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from socialist Yugoslavia on 1 March 1992. The main trading partners are Germany, Italy, Austria, Turkey and other ...
*
History of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes referred to simply as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. It has had permanent settlement since the Neolithic Age. By the early historical period it was inhabited by Illyrians and Ce ...
*
Cazin uprising The Cazin rebellion ( sh, Cazinska buna) was an armed anti-state rebellion of peasants that occurred in May 1950 in the towns of Cazin and Velika Kladuša in the Bosanska Krajina region, as well as Slunj in Croatia, at that time part of Communis ...
* Husino uprising * Spring Revolutions (disambiguation) *
List of protests in the 21st century This is a list of protests in the 21st century. Revolutions and uprisings Plants (Colour) revolutions * Rose Revolution (Georgia, 2003) * Tulip Revolution (Kyrgyzstan, 2005) * Cedar Revolution (Lebanon, 2005) * Orange Revolution (Ukraine, 2 ...


References


External links


Official website of the main anti-government organization (archive)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bosnia and Herzegovina social riots, 2014 Protests in Bosnia and Herzegovina Politics of Bosnia and Herzegovina Riots and civil disorder in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
2014 in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2014 protests Rebellions in Bosnia and Herzegovina Anarchism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Impact of the Arab Spring