O šansama za etnokulturalnu pravdu u Centralnoj Istočnoj Evropi - sa osvrtom na Dejtonski sporazum
On the Chances of Etnocultural Justice in Central - Estern Europe ( with Comments on the Dayton Agreement )

Summary/Abstract: This text is the part of the collection of essays which concerns the usefulness of liberal-plural western theories in Eastern Europe. The text (just as the volume) articulates the relationship, tensions, conflicts among ethnicities. Analysing the experiences of the last few decades (especially the last few years) the author comes to the conclusion that the traditional liberal attitudes are lacking empathy towards maintaining diversity, and cannot provide solutions in traditionally multicultural environments, where equality presumes an equal right to maintain one´s identity. When forced under the same roof with hard facts of ethnic pluralism and rivalry, traditional liberal precepts are unable to find viable models of accommodation and cohabitation. The principle of the group-neutrality can't deal with the ethnic conflicts neither in Yugoslavia nor nowhere else. This principle can only legitimate the majority and the abuses based on majority and can't solve the problems. The author gives support to the concept of ethnocultural justice and within this makes difference amongst three basic claims: separate space for minorities, equitable sharing of public space, counterweight which would neutralise ethnic undercurrents and biases. The author pays special attention to the Dayton Agreement and to the Constitution of Bosnia and Hercegovina. The legal analysis shows that the western experts who have formulated this document didn't find the adequate synthesis between the bosnian reality and the western principles, perhaps they weren't trying very hard. The result is the confused home-task. The Dayton-rules will have to be further developed sooner or later. The represantion of the liberal- plural principles and the ethnocultural justice in the post-communist countries is the task which remains ponderous.

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