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Survey Results: High Degree of Distrust in Political Parties and Government Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

According to a July 2014 research, most citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) do not trust political parties and government institutions at the cantonal, entity and state level, while they trust the police, armed forces and utility companies the most. These are the results of a CATI survey conducted on a representative sample of 1000 respondents from all over the country.

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Rezultati ankete: Visok stepen nepovjerenja u političke partije i institucije vlasti u Bosni i Hercegovini

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): Bosnian

Prema istraživanju iz jula 2014. godine, većina građana Bosne i Hercegovine (BiH) ne vjeruje političkim partijama i institucijama vlasti na kantonalnom, entitetskim i državnom nivou, dok najviše povjerenja imaju u policiju, vojsku i komunalna preduzeća. Ovo su rezultati CATI ankete provedene na reprezentativnom uzorku od 1000 ispitanika na cijeloj teritoriji BiH.

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A Neglected Standard in Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Proactive Dimension of the Right to Access Information

Author(s): Nermina Voloder / Language(s): English

The legal framework on the right to access information in Bosnia and Herzegovina does not contain an established duty of public institutions to voluntarily disclose information in their possession relevant to the public, even without a specific request. Such a legal framework deviates significantly from recent international standards in this area, which stipulate that public institutions must not only reply to individual requests, but that they should proactively disclose certain categories of information in the public interest. The concept of proactive transparency is not adequately regulated in such a legal framework, which is reflected, among other things, in the fragmentation and only partial regulation of the duty of proactive disclosure of information in the public interest, as well as in the lack of legal protection of information users. An analysis of regulations relevant to the proactive segment of the right of access to information indicates the necessity of establishing in law minimal standards relating to the content and quality of the publication of information in the public interest.

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Rezultati istraživanja: Dostupnost informacija na službenim web-prezentacijama javnih organa Bosne i Hercegovine

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): Bosnian

Javni organi Bosne i Hercegovine (BiH) ne slijede međunarodne prakse i standarde kada je riječ o objavljivanju informacija od javnog značaja na vlastitim službenim web-prezentacijama. Iako se trenutna praksa objavljivanja informacija ne može u cijelosti ocijeniti kao netransparentna, zabrinjavajući nedostatak transparentnosti javlja se u segmentu koji se tiče informacija o budžetu, operativnih informacija i dijelom informacija o organizacijskoj strukturi institucije. Drugim riječima, ključne informacije o radu institucija BiH još uvijek nisu dostupne javnosti, što upućuje na njihovu “zatvorenost” i nespremnost preuzimanja proaktivne uloge u osiguravanju pristupa informacijama koje se nalaze u njihovom posjedu.

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Proaktivna transparentnost u Bosni i Hercegovini: Od kakofonije ka harmonizaciji

Author(s): Nermina Voloder / Language(s): Bosnian

This report is the result of research conducted in the period from March to September 2016, which consisted of a review of international standards and practices, an analysis of the legal framework and relevant policies in BiH, interviews with representatives of public institutions at the level of BiH, and two rounds of analysis website of public institutions at the BiH level in order to determine the degree of their proactive transparency. The first round of website analysis was done in May 2016 and included 68 institutions at the BiH level, and the second round was in September of the same year, and included the websites of the 10 best-ranked institutions from the first round of website analysis. The "Standards of proactive transparency in public administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina" were used as a basis for the analysis of websites, which will be discussed in more detail in the fourth chapter of this study. After an analysis of the availability of information on websites, interviews were conducted with representatives of public institutions in order to identify factors that contribute to or limit proactive transparency in BiH, and to obtain a comprehensive picture of practices, different approaches, limitations and challenges when it comes to transparency. institution.

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Data as Potential: Towards Open Data Policies in BiH

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

The state and its institutions are the biggest producers, collectors and users of various types of data. Besides personal data, contained in public registers and health records, data of importance to the wider public is also collected, such as data on the state of the environment, economic trends, meteorological and other data. In the past, data of importance to the public was mostly unavailable. In cases where it was available, it was extremely difficult to find and use. Thanks to technological development and the relatively easy and inexpensive opening up of data on the Internet, but also more pronounced public requests for more transparent, accountable and efficient governance, governments worldwide committed to policies of opening data held by public institutions. Examples include websites such as US government’s Data.gov and Usa.gov, or the UK government’s Data.gov.uk and the European Union’s Open Data Portal, all of which provide educational, health, transport, environmental and other data. All of this has led to the rapid growth in use of open public data, in the private and non-government sectors alike. Software applications enable access to data on the Internet or on mobile devices and data is used to improve public services, initiate new commercial projects or enhance transparency of government. Some examples of websites specialized in processing, publishing and further use of open data are OpenSpending.org, which currently holds more than 700 datasets on public spending in 66 countries, or OpenCongress.org which enables monitoring of the work of the US Congress. Although the publication of open public data is a pronounced world trend and the potential of open data has been recognized in the region, such practice has not truly taken hold in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite NGO initiatives to open up public data, public institutions, with a few exceptions, mostly do not allow access to data on the Internet or via mobile technology. In order to prevent BiH seriously falling back in the area of proactive disclosure of such data, which would negatively impact all sectors of society, it is necessary to start a wider public discussion on opening up data held by public institutions. This policy memo aims to contribute to such a discussion.

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Lični podaci u sudskim i tužilačkim aktima: argumenti za i protiv anonimizacije

Author(s): Amra Mehmedić,Emina Ćerimović,Edin Hodžić / Language(s): Bosnian

Počevši od 2010. godine, u mnogim pravosudnim institucijama u Bosni i Hercegovini (BiH) uvedena je praksa tzv. anonimizacije sudskih odluka i optužnica prije njihovog distribuiranja javnosti . Brojni sudovi i tužilaštva u BiH u optužnicama, presudama i saopćenjima koja se objavljuju na internetu ili distribuiraju javnosti na drugi način sada šti te sve lične podatke pojedinaca uključenih u krivične postupke. No, takva je praksa rezultat simplificirane interpretacije zahtjeva za zaštitom ličnih podataka u kontekstu krivičnih postupaka, u kojima je potrebno šti ti ti i druge vrijednosti , kakve su sloboda pristupa informacijama i javnost suđenja.

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International Assistance and Media Democratization in the Western Balkans: A Cross-National Comparison

Author(s): Tarik Jusić,Kristina Irion / Language(s): English

This is the concluding report of a project aiming to enhance the knowledge and understanding of conditions and factors that influence the creation of sustainable and functional media institutions in the democratizing countries of the Western Balkans, especially in contexts where there is a strong presence of international assistance programs and conditionality mechanisms. The project covers four countries that emerged from former federal Yugoslavia, i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia, as well as a fifth country, Albania. This report summarizes and compares the country and subject-matter-specific contributions with the aim of exploring the nexus between the democratic transformation of the media and international media assistance as constrained by the local political conditions. Although the countries of the Western Balkans share significant social, political, historical and economic traits, the region’s recent trajectory has not been very coherent. Since the collapse of socialism in the 1990s, all five countries are undergoing a difficult transition to democracy and a free market economy. They have in common a post-authoritarian legacy, relatively small territories and weak economies. However, these similarities should not obstruct the recognition of important differences in political traditions, local cultures and ethnic composition of the population throughout the region. In the past, political traditions of statehood differed significantly, characterised by periods of bloom and decline as well as external influences, notably from the Ottomans and the Austrian empire. The region’s conflict-ridden history has inspired the term Balkanization, which is widely used to describe a process of geopolitical fragmentation. After the disintegration of Yugoslavia and war with the Serbian hegemon, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo were founded as modern states. Macedonia was also affected by a limited conflict between its two majority peoples – Macedonians and Albanians. NATO undertook extensive military interventions against Serb forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995, and in Kosovo and Serbia in 1999. Albania alone went through a peaceful transition albeit the country took in many war refugees, mainly from Kosovo. All of the countries in the focus of this project are multi-ethnic but their composition varies to a significant degree. In Albania and Kosovo, Albanians are by far the majority people but there is a significant Serb minority in the latter. Serbia’s dominant majority are Serbs (83 percent of the population). In contrast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the home of three constituent peoples (Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats) and in Macedonia ethnic Macedonians and Albanians coexist, among others. Today, out of these five Western Balkan countries two are in the antechamber of the European Union (EU). For some time already Macedonia and, recently, Serbia have had candidate status but the pre-accession negotiations are open-ended. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania are still potential candidate countries, and thus further away from their ultimate aim to accede to the EU. Striving for EU membership requires from these Western Balkan countries to comply with its democratic and market economy standards (the so-called ‘Copenhagen Criteria’). Today EU conditionality is a major driver of reforms in the region.

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Criminal Law Framework for Processing Hate Crimes

Author(s): Ljiljana Filipović / Language(s): English

Analysing the criminal law framework for processing a certain type of criminal offence presupposes that this criminal offence differs from other criminal offences by one or more characteristics and that this specificity has implications for the application of certain general institutes of criminal law (substantive and procedural). With hate crimes, this distinctive characteristic is the particular motive for their commission. This paper deals with the significance of this special characteristic for the processing of hate crimes understood as per the changes and amendments to the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska (hereinafter: CC RS), the Criminal Code of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter: CC BD BiH) 2010 and the Draft Law on Changes and Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter: CC FBiH), June 2013.

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Hate Crimes and Juveniles: Key Problems in Regulation and Processing

Author(s): Jasna Pećanac / Language(s): English

Bosnia and Herzegovina has seen an increase in significance assigned to combating hate crimes. These crimes have a particularly strong impact on our society due to the still present traces of war and the great importance accorded to ethnic, religious and national affiliation in our social and political life. Even though the international community used to devote most of its attention to war crimes, organised crime, corruption, money laundering and the like, in the past few years, the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in cooperation with civil society organisations, has taken on a leading role in an endeavour to ensure the application of international standards and obligations pertaining to hate crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter: BiH). In these activities, special categories of perpetrators of these crimes, such as juvenile offenders, are quite justifiably, but still insufficiently, taken into account. Thus the 2009 Country Overview of Bias-Motivated Incidents in Bosnia and Herzegovina, among other things, points out hate crimes committed by juveniles and young adults. Five such cases are cited for the territory of the Federation of BiH (hereinafter: FBiH). However, in view of the general trend of insufficient and inadequate processing of criminal offences of this type in BiH general, we must conclude that their number is probably considerably higher. In general, juvenile delinquency entails prohibited behaviour through which juveniles endanger and violate the rights and freedoms of others, cause physical and mental suffering to others, or damage another’s property. The problems generally faced by the juvenile justice system in BiH certainly impact the efficiency of processing hate crimes committed by juveniles. However, given the specificity of the motivation and the consequences, processing juvenile perpetrators of hate crimes has (or should have) a series of specificities that arise from the nature of this type of crime. All bodies participating in proceedings involving juveniles should take into account these specificities in the interest of most fully achieving the aims of such proceedings – re-education, rehabilitation and reintegration of the juvenile in question. Given the still insufficient level of commitment to preventing and combating this specific type of juvenile offending, which has been on the rise in the current socio-political situation in BiH, this paper will focus on dispelling dilemmas and quandaries about whether and to what extent the existing legal framework and basic procedural principles applicable to juveniles in conflict with the law can adequately be applied to hate crimes, with particular reference to the significance of preventive activities applied to juveniles in general, and in particular with respect to these types of criminal offences. Moreover, focusing on juveniles as a specific population, but also as potential perpetrators of hate crimes, which are specific by nature, this paper aims to point out possible problems in the practice of prosecuting juvenile perpetrators of hate crimes. This is, of course, another specific characteristic of combating juvenile offending as a whole and involves complex issues. Therefore, at the present stage of defining initial steps in processing hate crimes, this paper will not and cannot encompass all its aspects, but can hopefully contribute to drawing attention to this important topic in the Bosnian-Herzegovinian context.

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The Importance of Prosecuting Hate Speech in a Post-Conflict Country: Lessons for, and from, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Francesco de Sanctis / Language(s): English

The use of criminal law to oppose hate speech and its compatibility with freedom of expression is one of the most contentious issues in the contemporary legal debate. This is not hard to believe if one considers the role of that freedom as a building block of democracy.

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Drawing The Line in Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Advocacy of Hatred Constituting Incitement to Hostility, Discrimination, and Violence

Author(s): Andrew Smith / Language(s): English

In this paper, ARTICLE 19 assesses the extent to which the criminal legal framework within Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) complies with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression while prohibiting the “advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence” (“incitement” or “the advocacy of hatred that constitutes incitement”). Prohibitions on incitement in each of the four BiH criminal codes are poorly formulated and conflate a number of distinct issues. Key components of incitement, such as the need for “advocacy of hatred”, are overlooked and not included as essential elements of criminal offences. One consequence of this the blurring of the line between expression that should be prohibited and other forms of protected speech, including the right to offend others or denigrate national symbols and objects. At the same time, incitement is conflated with other forms of bias-motivated crimes, such as torture or property damage. Despite national, ethnic and religious tensions within BiH remaining very high, criminal prohibitions on incitement have not been enforced to sanction the most harmful forms of expression in the country. Absent specific provision for recognising bias-motivation in the commission of any criminal offence (prior to 2010 bias motivation was only recognised within a limited category of offences under each code), the incitement provisions have instead been used to prosecute bias motivated crimes where there was no advocacy of hatred or expression central to the case. Since reforms to the criminal codes in 2010 have provided alternative provisions for prosecutors to punish a broader range of bias-motivated crimes that are not incitement, there is now a strong case for reforming the incitement provisions so that they specifically address the most severe forms of harmful expression, while according adequate protection to fundamental rights. The analysis arrives at a series of recommendations to reform the criminal codes in BiH so that they comply international standards. We encourage all relevant stakeholders to initiate a national debate on this issue, and for any reforms to be treated as an opportunity for not only reshaping the criminal law but assessing where alternative prohibitions and positive policy measures may more effectively promote tolerance and protect the right to freedom of expression.

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Media Assistance in Serbia: Achievements and Challenges

Author(s): Davor Marko / Language(s): English

Media assistance programs played a significant role in the development of media system in Serbia during last 20 years. While in 1990s media assistance efforts focused on ensuring the survival of independent media outlets under the authoritarian rule of the Milošević regime, the scope of the assistance expanded after the regime collapsed in 2000, to address a range of issues, such as legal reforms, the establishment of regulatory bodies, the transformation of the state TV into a public service broadcaster, professionalization of journalism, and management of media outlets. However, in many ways the reforms still depend on continuous external support. Hence, this policy brief outlines key challenges to the media reforms, and lists several lessons that could inform the future media assistance efforts in Serbia.

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International Media Assistance in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Lessons Learned

Author(s): Nidžara Ahmetašević,Tarik Jusić / Language(s): English

Bosnia and Herzegovina has benefited from comprehensive and prolonged international media assistance efforts during the last two decades: the legal framework was thoroughly reformed; regulatory and self-regulatory mechanisms were introduced; the independent and commercial media sector received substantial support; and a public service broadcasting system was created. However, many reform initiatives have been met with fierce resistance, while others failed or were only partially successful. In some cases, once the donors and international actors reduced their involvement, the reform processes stopped or were reversed. This policy brief looks into the complex relationship between the local context on one side, and the media reforms that were initiated through international assistance programs on the other. The goal is to identify some of the key challenges to the media assistance efforts in the country, and eventually to draw some lessons for future assistance projects.

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Media Reforms through Intervention: International Media Assistance in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Nidžara Ahmetašević,Tarik Jusić / Language(s): English

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is often considered one of the most prominent examples of comprehensive international intervention into local affairs aimed at post-war state building, including institutions of the local media system. International actors played an important role in creating legislative frameworks and regulatory institutions for the media sector, started the reform of the PSB system, supported the development of independent media, and initiated the introduction of a self-regulatory framework. These efforts have resulted in the pacification of media discourse and elimination of outright ethnically-charged hate speech, and have opened up the media space for opposition voices and alternative sources of information.

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Od evidencije do prevencije - Pretpostavke za sistemsko prikupljanje informacija o diskriminaciji u Bosni i Hercegovini

Author(s): Emina Ćerimović,Dženana Hrlović / Language(s): Bosnian

Usvajanje Zakona o zabrani diskriminacije (ZZD) u julu 2009. godine predstavlja ključni korak u nastojanju da se u Bosni i Hercegovini (BiH) osigura pravo svakog pojedinca na slobodu od diskriminacije. Imenovanjem Institucije ombudsmena za ljudska prava BiH centralnom institucijom za zaštitu od diskriminacije i Ministarstva za ljudska prava i izbjeglice BiH centralnom institucijom odgovornom za nadzor sprovođenja ZZD-a definiran je i institucionalni okvir za zaštitu od diskriminacije. Odredbama ZZD-a su predviđeni važni mehanizmi zaštite i aktivnosti, usmjereni na suzbijanje i ukidanje diskriminacije u BiH. Mehanizmi zaštite predviđeni ovim zakonom su antidiskriminacijski parnični postupci te postupci po žalbi pred Institucijom ombudsmena BiH. U predmetima koji se tiču diskriminacije efektivnost mehanizama zaštite pred Institucijom ombudsmena je dodatno pojačana uvođenjem instituta prekršajne odgovornosti za nepostupanje po preporuci ove institucije u konkretnom predmetu. Osim toga, Zakonom je predviđena i važna obaveza nadležnih državnih tijela i organa da prikupljaju, konsolidiraju i analiziraju podatke o slučajevima diskriminacije. Aktivnosti prikupljanja i analize podataka o diskriminaciji prepoznaju se kao jedna od ključnih mjera države u domenu borbe protiv diskriminacije. Međutim, prikupljanje podataka u ovoj oblasti je složen posao za koji se još uvijek pokušavaju pronaći najbolji modaliteti. Naime, ne postoji općeprihvaćeni model za prikupljanje takvih podataka, pa ni metodologija koja se za te svrhe koristi nije istovjetna u svim zemljama. Također, postoje određene dileme o opravdanosti prikupljanja ovih podataka, poput etičkih pitanja (npr. tvrdnje da podaci o diskriminaciji sami po sebi učvršćuju predrasude i obrasce diskriminacije), finansijskih implikacija ili izazova zaštite privatnosti osoba o kojima se podaci prikupljaju. Ipak, višestruki značaj pouzdanih podataka o diskriminaciji, naročito u kontekstu definiranja antidiskriminacijskih mjera i politika, jasno ukazuje na to da je ovoj problematici potrebno posvetiti posebnu pažnju. Trenutno se u BiH podaci o diskriminaciji prikupljaju fragmentirano, na ad hoc principu, a odredbe ZZD-a koje o tome govore implementiraju se sporo. Pravilnik o načinu prikupljanja podataka o predmetima diskriminacije (Pravilnik) koji je trebao biti sačinjen u roku od 90 dana od dana stupanja Zakona na snagu donesen je gotovo četiri godine kasnije - početkom aprila 2013. godine. Pored toga, još uvijek nije uspostavljena centralna baza podataka o predmetima diskriminacije (centralna baza podataka), a spomenuti pravilnikom je predviđeno da će to biti učinjeno tek do kraja 2013. godine. Jasno je, naime, da za efikasnu borbu protiv diskriminacije nije dovoljno samo usvojiti odgovarajući pravni i institucionalni okvir, nego je potrebno poduzeti konkretne korake kako bi bila osigurana njegova provedba. S tim u vezi, a uzimajući u obzir aktuelni zakonski okvir u ovoj oblasti, ova studija nastoji odgovoriti na pitanje koji su ključni problemi sa kojima se nadležne institucije suočavaju u prikupljanju podataka o diskriminaciji u BiH i šta je potrebno učiniti da se oni prevaziđu? Cilj studije je da ponudi preporuke na temelju kojih bi se stvorili preduvjeti za bolje, sveobuhvatnije i konzistentnije prikupljanje podataka o diskriminaciji u BiH. U potrazi za odgovorom na ključno istraživačko pitanje najprije je obavljen pregled recentne literature o ovoj problematici. Zatim su analizirani ZZD, Pravilnik o načinu prikupljanja podataka o predmetima diskriminacije u BiH te drugi domaći i strani propisi relevantni za ovu tematiku, uključujući i međunarodne dokumente koji se odnose na prikupljanje podataka o diskriminaciji. Treće, ispitan je sistem prikupljanja podataka o diskriminaciji u BiH, predviđen ZZD-om, odnosno način na koji Ministarstvo za ljudska prava i izbjeglice BiH, Institucija ombudsmena BiH ali i drugi relevantni akteri interpretiraju značajne odredbe ZZD-a i vlastite obaveze koje iz njih proizlaze. Pored toga, analizirane su aktuelne i planirane aktivnosti relevantnih aktera u BiH kako bi se utvrdilo koliko je situacija u BiH u ovoj oblasti daleko od najbolje komparativne prakse. Usljed nepostojanja relevantnih informacija iz sekundarnih izvora u ovoj oblasti u bosanskohercegovačkom kontekstu, u tu svrhu je obavljeno ukupno 14 intervjua sa ključnim akterima, uključujući predstavnike institucija nadležnih za implementaciju ZZD-a. Na kraju, a s ciljem utvrđivanja dobrih praksi i mogućih rješenja za identificirane probleme, obavljena je i komparativna analiza iskustava zemalja regije, ali i Evropske unije (EU), u domenu prikupljanja informacija o diskriminaciji. Opisana namjera studije umnogome određuje i njenu strukturu. Prvi dio studije elaborira značaj prikupljanja podataka u borbi protiv diskriminacije. Koje podatke o diskriminaciji je potrebno prikupljati, pitanje je koje tematizira drugi dio studije, fokusirajući se na komparativna iskustva i zakonski okvir za prikupljanje podataka o diskriminaciji u BiH. Naredno poglavlje nastoji odgovoriti na pitanje ko prikuplja podatke o diskriminaciji, nastojeći utvrditi neke od temeljnih uvjeta uspješnog funkcioniranja sistema za prikupljanje podataka o diskriminaciji. Peti dio studije ima za cilj da identificira metode i izvore prikupljanja podataka o diskriminaciji u svjetlu međunarodnih standarda i komparativnih iskustava te ponuditi pregled izvora tih podataka u kontekstu BiH. S obzirom na kompleksna etička pitanja koja se nužno postavljaju prilikom prikupljanja ovakvih, u pravilu osjetljivih podataka, naredna sekcija ima za cilj da se osvrne na problematiku zaštite privatnosti pri prikupljanju podataka. Nakon toga slijedi sekcija koja tematizira pitanje pristupa, odnosno dostupnosti prikupljenih informacija. Konačno, pregled i analiza trenutnog stanja u ovoj oblasti u BiH, kao i iskustva drugih zemalja, poslužili su kao koristan okvir za formuliranje preporuka za unapređenje sistema prikupljanja podataka o diskriminaciji u BiH.

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From Collection to Prevention - Preconditions for Comprehensive Gathering of Information on Discrimination in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Emina Ćerimović / Language(s): English

As a result of the adoption of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination in Bosnia and Herzegovina in July 2009, all institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) are required to collect and keep records of data on cases of discrimination. According to this law, the institution responsible for monitoring its implementation is the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH. This Ministry is also obliged to coordinate the collection of data and to act as a central repository of data on discrimination in the broader sense. In addition, the Ministry has the responsibility to report on the instances and the scope of discrimination in the country. Almost four years later, numerous provisions of the law in this area have not been realized. As a consequence, it is not possible to map the actual state of discrimination in BiH, which ultimately does not allow for the formulation of adequate policies and activities of protection against discriminatory treatment in BiH, as well as its prevention.

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Od evidencije do prevencije: pretpostavke za sistemsko prikupljanje informacija o diskriminaciji u Bosni i Hercegovini

Author(s): Emina Ćerimović / Language(s): Bosnian

Usvajanjem Zakona o zabrani diskriminacije u julu 2009. godine svim institucijama u Bosni i Hercegovini (BiH) propisana je obaveza prikupljanja i vođenja evidencije podataka o predmetima diskriminacije. Prema ovom zakonu, institucija odgovorna za nadzor nad njegovim sprovođenjem je Ministarstvo za ljudska prava i izbjeglice BiH. Ministarstvo je obavezno i da koordinira aktivnosti prikupljanja podataka te da djeluje kao centralni repozitorij podataka o diskriminaciji u širem smislu. Pored toga, Ministarstvo ima obavezu izvještavanja o pojavama i obimu diskriminacije. No, i skoro četiri godine nakon njegova usvajanja brojne odredbe Zakona o zabrani diskriminacije u ovom domenu ostaju neispunjene. Posljedica toga je nepostojanje uvida u stvarno stanje diskriminacije u društvu, što onemogućuje razvoj i provođenje adekvatnih politika i aktivnosti usmjerenih ka suzbijanju i zaštiti od diskriminatornog postupanja u Bosni i Hercegovini.

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Missing the Rules of Engagement - An Overview of Legal Frameworks for Citizen Participation in Local Decision-Making Processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro

Author(s): Mirna Jusić / Language(s): English

Citizen participation in local level decision-making processes is not a novelty in the region of former Yugoslavia. The subject had received international attention during the 1970s, when innovative participatory institutions and practices in Yugoslav municipalities were making their way into scholarly texts discussing solutions to the problems of participatory democracy. Yet despite – or maybe because of – the apparent historical legacy of citizen participation in local-level decision-making, current accounts of local-level practices of citizen engagement appear to be wanting. Research conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereafter: BiH), Croatia and Montenegro, three countries considered in this report, points to weaknesses in the way participatory processes are conducted. Despite variations in practice, the general impression is that citizens are inadequately informed about possibilities for participation and may lack feedback on outcomes of participatory processes; that their ability to influence decision-making is perceived to be questionable; or that local administrations lack capacities and expertise for organizing well-structured participatory events. The motivation of citizens to engage in decision-making appears to be hampered by their perception that chances to do so are limited and that official channels for addressing their problems and needs are absent. Such findings are especially telling considering that citizen participation has become a key word in the jargon of national and local governments, as well as international organizations that have in the past twenty years devoted significant efforts to policy development and capacity building processes in the area of citizen engagement. To date, little attention has been paid to the factors that potentially influence participatory processes and that may help explain the similarities and differences in practice in these three countries since their democratization. Considering an enabling policy environment to be such a factor, this report seeks to inquire whether legal and institutional frameworks for citizen participation in BiH, Croatia, and Montenegro enable or discourage citizen participation in decision-making in local affairs. This factor appears especially important given the substantial effort vested in participation policies and programs by domestic and international actors. At the same time, we recognize the importance of other contextual factors for effective participation, such as the level of democratization, tradition of citizen engagement or the capacities of different actors to encourage participatory practices, but do not examine them at any length in here. This report is a result of research conducted for the project “Effective and sustainable citizen participation” in order to inform the creation of operational documents for citizen participation in local decision-making processes in BiH, Croatia and Montenegro. The ultimate purpose of the report is to provide a systematic overview of legal arrangements for citizen participation in the three countries, so that operational documents could be drafted in such a way as to correspond with the existing legal and institutional frameworks. Besides the needs of the project, the comparison of these three countries is also conceptually and methodologically motivating because they recently were a part of the same legal, political and cultural whole in the joint administrative organization of the former Yugoslavia, but have in the past twenty years had different reform paths, as suggested by their different EU accession prospects. These differences and similarities between countries form an interesting basis for analysis of legal and institutional frameworks for citizen participation, especially having in mind the rather bleak findings on citizen participation in practice. Furthermore, an almost total absence of comparative studies on legal frameworks and institutional practices with respect to citizen participation at the local level in the three countries is an additional reason for providing an overview such as this one. Although its theoretical and explanatory value might be limited by a primarily descriptive approach and methodological limitations (see below, Chapters 2 and 3), this report attempts to offer a sound systematic basis for further studies on this largely neglected topic in the region of Western Balkans. In that respect, the ambition of this text is to provide a broad overview of key characteristics, trends and processes in respect to the evolving legal frameworks and institutional practices for citizen participation in BiH, Croatia and Montenegro, and to point out key issues and questions, rather than to offer explanations and answers. Special emphasis will be placed on correspondence between legal frameworks in the three countries on one side, and relevant international norms and standards, notably those of the Council of Europe, on the other. This report begins with a conceptual framework of citizen participation in Chapter 2, followed by the analytical approach and methodology in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 provides an overview of local governance and a synthesis of results on citizen participation in practice in these three countries to date, and Chapter 5 contains an analysis of the enabling and disabling aspects of the institutional and legal frameworks for citizen participation. The findings of this overview are discussed in the concluding Chapter 6, with recommendations for the institutionalization of local-level citizen participation processes and with suggestions for further inquiry.

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Judicial Protection from Discrimination in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Analysis of Laws and Practice Based on Initial Cases in This Field

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

In the course of 2011 and 2012, Analitika conducted a research on the key issues regarding the protection of individuals from discrimination, based on the (rather limited) court practice in this area in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The research has shown, inter alia, that courts often misunderstand and incorrectly interpret key novelties in civil proceedings concerning the protection from discrimination, such as shifting the burden of proof on the defendant, and that the legally prescribed urgency of anti-discrimination proceedings is generally not respected. Moreover, some legal provisions, such as the ones setting extremely unfavourable costs of the proceedings for the victims of discrimination giving extremely short deadlines for filing anti-discrimination lawsuits, or determining that the territorial jurisdiction of the court be based on the place of residence of the defendant, and not the plaintiff , are not in accordance with best practice in this area, and as such, present an additional obstacle for the effective litigation against discrimination in BiH.

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