The state of Bosnia-Herzegovina was formed over a decade ago as a result of the breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
But after a bloody civil war that tore the region apart, the peace is still far from being perfect.
Some groups never accepted the ethnic melting pot of Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats that is modern Bosnia.
One such group is centered in the southern Bosnian city of Mostar, inhabited mostly by Croatians, nationalists of whom are demanding their own autonomy, and where a future state is being planned.
For more than a year, Croats from Mostar have been calling themselves an alternative government to the one that exists in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and their calls for independence are getting louder day by day.
“We do not have any kind of federal unit to protect our rights here in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We do not even have media in our own language. The only way that we can protect ourselves is through a Croatian federal unit,” insists Croatian member of federal parliament, Petar Milic.
The calls for independence were set into motion by the Dayton Peace Accord that in 1995 brought three bloody years of war to an end.
Under the deal, two entities were set up: a Bosniak-Croat federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Bosnian Serb Republic.
Croatian nationalists are now demanding their own autonomy.
The president of the alternative government of the Croatian republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Leo Plockinic, says that the main reason for all the problems now is that Bosniak Muslims are a majority.
“We do not have any legal representatives at state levels of power in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The reason is we do not have a legal framework, or any kind of opportunity to establish equality with the other two peoples,” Plockinic says.
The former commander of the Croatian defence council, Zoran Zolko, who spent the war years fighting in the southern city of Mostar, was wounded three times.
He says whereas once he fought for independence from Serbia alongside Muslims, today he’s fighting for independence from his former allies.
“At the beginning of the war, we were fighting for the liberation of all the people in Bosnia-Herzogovina. The Muslims had our support, there were many of them who were fighting in the Croatian defence council, but in the end, we were betrayed by them. Many ran away. I don’t believe we can live together. In principle, maybe, but in my soul – I don’t believe it,” Zolko says.
The city of Mostar showcases these ethnic divisions more clearly than anywhere else in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
It is the country’s fifth largest city, and political control here is equally shared between Croats and Bosniaks, but tensions are high – and the city is divided.
Through the middle of the city runs the Neretva river which separates the predominantly Croatian side of the city to the west, from the Muslim side to the east.
Relations between both sides are so bad that when Croats cross the bridge, they come with a police escort.
A tour guide in the Muslim part of the city, Kenan Divljak, says no one here supports Croatian calls for independence and Mostar, like the rest of Bosnia-Herzegovina, needs to remain part of the country.
“Mostar is a part of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mostar cannot be an independent country. It is impossible, because the town has just 320,000 inhabitants. The infrastructure was destroyed,” reasons Divljak.
Mostar is a reminder of how unstable the Bosnian federation really is, nearly 15 years after the Dayton deal was signed.
So far, Croatian calls for independence have been overshadowed by events elsewhere in the Balkans, but should they one day win, their success could potentially have disastrous ripple effects throughout the region.
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Saturday, April 25, 2009
Ban sends Kosovo documents to ICJ
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday sent the UN Kosovo dossier to the International Court of Justice, ICJ.
He forwarded some 2,900 pages of documents that contain all resolutions, constitutional frameworks and UNMIK rules, quarterly reports filed by UN envoy Kai Eide, the Ahtisaari plan, the presidential troika report, documents related to Ramboullet and Kumanovo agreements, KFOR reports, the Kosovo Albanian declaration of independence, and other papers, according to Albanian language daily Express.
According to the same report, the UN dossier will find its place among the relevant documents that will enable for a more precise insight into the Kosovo case.
Serbia has asked the ICJ to give its advisory opinion on the legality of the February 2008 unilateral declaration of independence made by Kosovo's Albanians.
35 countries have decided to take part in the proceedings by submitting their written statements, the ICJ revealed earlier this week.
He forwarded some 2,900 pages of documents that contain all resolutions, constitutional frameworks and UNMIK rules, quarterly reports filed by UN envoy Kai Eide, the Ahtisaari plan, the presidential troika report, documents related to Ramboullet and Kumanovo agreements, KFOR reports, the Kosovo Albanian declaration of independence, and other papers, according to Albanian language daily Express.
According to the same report, the UN dossier will find its place among the relevant documents that will enable for a more precise insight into the Kosovo case.
Serbia has asked the ICJ to give its advisory opinion on the legality of the February 2008 unilateral declaration of independence made by Kosovo's Albanians.
35 countries have decided to take part in the proceedings by submitting their written statements, the ICJ revealed earlier this week.
Serbia tipped to allow Macedonia and Montenegro ambassadors back
Serbia will allow neighbours Montenegro and Macedonia to send ambassadors back to Belgrade, more than six months after kicking them out when their countries recognised Kosovo.
Radio B92 quoted Serbia's President Boris Tadic as saying, "We have already given our agreement to the nomination of the Macedonian ambassador and there is no reason for Montenegro to be different.
"Tadic had talks with his Montenegrin counterpart Filip Vujanovic on the sidelines of an energy conference held in Sofia on Thursday and Friday, B92 said.
"We are expecting Montenegro to propose very soon the appointment of our ambassador" and Tadic to agree to it, the radio quoted Vujanovic as saying afterwards.
Radio B92 quoted Serbia's President Boris Tadic as saying, "We have already given our agreement to the nomination of the Macedonian ambassador and there is no reason for Montenegro to be different.
"Tadic had talks with his Montenegrin counterpart Filip Vujanovic on the sidelines of an energy conference held in Sofia on Thursday and Friday, B92 said.
"We are expecting Montenegro to propose very soon the appointment of our ambassador" and Tadic to agree to it, the radio quoted Vujanovic as saying afterwards.
NATO rejects Amnesty call for war crimes probe
NATO vehemently rejected on Friday a demand by Amnesty International that it be held accountable for the civilian deaths caused by the bombing of Serbia's state television building 10 years ago.
"The incident has been investigated thoroughly by the international war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as part of the overall investigation into the 1999 air campaign," said Carmen Romero, an alliance spokeswoman.
"The main conclusion was that NATO has no case to answer," she said.
Sixteen civilians were killed and 16 others injured during the attack on April 23, 1999, on the headquarters and studios of Serbian TV in central Belgrade. The nighttime raid came at the height of the 78-day aerial bombing campaign against then-President Slobodan Milosevic to halt his crackdown on Kosovo Albanian separatists in the former Serbian province.
Amnesty International said in a statement issued on Thursday that the bombing was "a deliberate attack on a civilian object and as such constitutes a war crime."
At the time, the prosecutor based in The Hague, the Netherlands, found that the bombing was "legally acceptable," since it was part of a planned attack aimed at disrupting and degrading the command, control and communications network in view of the dual use to which such communications systems were put.
The report said that although some mistakes were made by NATO, the prosecutor was satisfied there was no deliberate targeting of civilians.
Romero said that during the war the station's transmitters formed an integral part of the strategic communications network which enabled the Belgrade authorities to direct the repression taking place in Kosovo.
On that basis, she said, the war crimes prosecutor concluded that there was no basis into any of the allegations or into other incidents related to the NATO air campaign.
The 16 deaths triggered a public outcry in Serbia, both against NATO and against Dragoljub Milanovic, the TV director and a close Milosevic ally who ordered the station's workers not to leave their posts during the air raids. Milanovic was later sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the deaths.
"The incident has been investigated thoroughly by the international war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as part of the overall investigation into the 1999 air campaign," said Carmen Romero, an alliance spokeswoman.
"The main conclusion was that NATO has no case to answer," she said.
Sixteen civilians were killed and 16 others injured during the attack on April 23, 1999, on the headquarters and studios of Serbian TV in central Belgrade. The nighttime raid came at the height of the 78-day aerial bombing campaign against then-President Slobodan Milosevic to halt his crackdown on Kosovo Albanian separatists in the former Serbian province.
Amnesty International said in a statement issued on Thursday that the bombing was "a deliberate attack on a civilian object and as such constitutes a war crime."
At the time, the prosecutor based in The Hague, the Netherlands, found that the bombing was "legally acceptable," since it was part of a planned attack aimed at disrupting and degrading the command, control and communications network in view of the dual use to which such communications systems were put.
The report said that although some mistakes were made by NATO, the prosecutor was satisfied there was no deliberate targeting of civilians.
Romero said that during the war the station's transmitters formed an integral part of the strategic communications network which enabled the Belgrade authorities to direct the repression taking place in Kosovo.
On that basis, she said, the war crimes prosecutor concluded that there was no basis into any of the allegations or into other incidents related to the NATO air campaign.
The 16 deaths triggered a public outcry in Serbia, both against NATO and against Dragoljub Milanovic, the TV director and a close Milosevic ally who ordered the station's workers not to leave their posts during the air raids. Milanovic was later sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the deaths.
No justice for the victims of NATO bombings
Ten years on, no-one has been held to account for the NATO attack on the Serbian state radio and television building that left 16 civilians dead. Sixteen civilians were also injured during the air attack on 23 April 1999 on the headquarters and studios of Radio Televizija Srbije (RTS) in central Belgrade.
Those killed included a make-up artist, a cameraman, an editor, a programme director, three security guards and other media support staff. An estimated 200 staff are thought to have been working in the building at the time.
"The bombing of the headquarters of Serbian state radio and television was a deliberate attack on a civilian object and as such constitutes a war crime," Sian Jones, Amnesty International’s Balkans expert said.
NATO officials confirmed to Amnesty International in early 2000 that they targeted RTS because of its propaganda function, in order to undermine the morale of the population and the armed forces.
"Justifying an attack on the grounds of combating propaganda stretches the meaning of 'effective contribution to military action' and 'definite military advantage'. These are essential requirements of the legal definition of a military objective - beyond acceptable bounds of interpretation.
"Even if NATO genuinely believed RTS was a legitimate target, the attack was disproportionate and hence a war crime," Sian Jones said.
NATO officials also confirmed that no specific warning of this particular attack was given, even though they knew many civilians would be in the RTS building.
The raid was part of NATO's "Operation Allied Force" against the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between March and June 1999. Approximately 500 civilians were killed and 900 injured during the course of the conflict.
Many of these casualties were caused by indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks and a failure to take necessary precautions to protect civilians.
In several attacks, including the Grdelica railroad bridge on 12 April 1999, the road bridge in Lužane on 1 May 1999 and Varvarin bridge on 30 May 1999, NATO forces failed to suspend their attack after it was evident that they had struck civilians. In other cases, including the attacks on displaced civilians in Djakovica on 14 April 1999 and Koriša on 13 May 1999, NATO failed to take necessary precautions to minimize civilian casualties.
"Civilian deaths could have been significantly reduced during the conflict if NATO forces had fully adhered to the laws of war," said Sian Jones. "Ten years on, no public investigation has ever been conducted by NATO or its member states into these incidents."
Amnesty International recommended as early as 2000 that the victims of violations committed by NATO receive redress. Yet the victims of the RTS bombing and their relatives have never received any redress or reparations, including compensation, despite proceedings in domestic courts in Serbia and further applications to the European Court of Human Rights (Banković and others v Belgium and others and Markovic v Italy), which ruled the cases inadmissible.
Many of the problems that undermined compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law in "Operation Allied Force" – such as lack of clarity in the command structure and decision-making processes on target selection, divergent understanding among national contingents of applicable international law – persist in the alliance’s operations in Afghanistan.
"It now appears that NATO has failed to learn from the mistakes of Operation Allied Force. If anything, NATO appears to have taken a step backward in transparency, releasing less information about attacks it carries out in Afghanistan than it did during Operation Allied Force," said Sian Jones.
"The most powerful military alliance in the world cannot afford but to set the highest standards of protection of civilians according to international humanitarian law. It must be held accountable for any violations of that law."
Those killed included a make-up artist, a cameraman, an editor, a programme director, three security guards and other media support staff. An estimated 200 staff are thought to have been working in the building at the time.
"The bombing of the headquarters of Serbian state radio and television was a deliberate attack on a civilian object and as such constitutes a war crime," Sian Jones, Amnesty International’s Balkans expert said.
NATO officials confirmed to Amnesty International in early 2000 that they targeted RTS because of its propaganda function, in order to undermine the morale of the population and the armed forces.
"Justifying an attack on the grounds of combating propaganda stretches the meaning of 'effective contribution to military action' and 'definite military advantage'. These are essential requirements of the legal definition of a military objective - beyond acceptable bounds of interpretation.
"Even if NATO genuinely believed RTS was a legitimate target, the attack was disproportionate and hence a war crime," Sian Jones said.
NATO officials also confirmed that no specific warning of this particular attack was given, even though they knew many civilians would be in the RTS building.
The raid was part of NATO's "Operation Allied Force" against the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between March and June 1999. Approximately 500 civilians were killed and 900 injured during the course of the conflict.
Many of these casualties were caused by indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks and a failure to take necessary precautions to protect civilians.
In several attacks, including the Grdelica railroad bridge on 12 April 1999, the road bridge in Lužane on 1 May 1999 and Varvarin bridge on 30 May 1999, NATO forces failed to suspend their attack after it was evident that they had struck civilians. In other cases, including the attacks on displaced civilians in Djakovica on 14 April 1999 and Koriša on 13 May 1999, NATO failed to take necessary precautions to minimize civilian casualties.
"Civilian deaths could have been significantly reduced during the conflict if NATO forces had fully adhered to the laws of war," said Sian Jones. "Ten years on, no public investigation has ever been conducted by NATO or its member states into these incidents."
Amnesty International recommended as early as 2000 that the victims of violations committed by NATO receive redress. Yet the victims of the RTS bombing and their relatives have never received any redress or reparations, including compensation, despite proceedings in domestic courts in Serbia and further applications to the European Court of Human Rights (Banković and others v Belgium and others and Markovic v Italy), which ruled the cases inadmissible.
Many of the problems that undermined compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law in "Operation Allied Force" – such as lack of clarity in the command structure and decision-making processes on target selection, divergent understanding among national contingents of applicable international law – persist in the alliance’s operations in Afghanistan.
"It now appears that NATO has failed to learn from the mistakes of Operation Allied Force. If anything, NATO appears to have taken a step backward in transparency, releasing less information about attacks it carries out in Afghanistan than it did during Operation Allied Force," said Sian Jones.
"The most powerful military alliance in the world cannot afford but to set the highest standards of protection of civilians according to international humanitarian law. It must be held accountable for any violations of that law."
Friday, April 24, 2009
Further reforms will result in free visa regime for Macedonian citizens - EU Ambassador
If Macedonia keeps working on reforms and meets necessary criteria, its citizens will be relieved from visa requirements by the yearend, EU Ambassador to the country Erwan Fouere said on Thursday.
- We are very satisfied with all of the efforts Macedonia has been making to complete the reforms and meet the criteria. If this trend continues I am certain that a decision will be made by the yearend for citizens of Macedonia to travel without visas, Fouere told reporters.
Today, he attended a presentation of the tourist development of eastern Macedonia at Stip-based University 'Goce Delcev'.
- We are very satisfied with all of the efforts Macedonia has been making to complete the reforms and meet the criteria. If this trend continues I am certain that a decision will be made by the yearend for citizens of Macedonia to travel without visas, Fouere told reporters.
Today, he attended a presentation of the tourist development of eastern Macedonia at Stip-based University 'Goce Delcev'.
Croatian students demand free education
Students from Split have joined in the protest with students from Zagreb, Zadar, Rijeka and Osijek. Students of the Faculty of Philosophy, who had gathered into the Independent Student Initiative, blocked classes at around 8:30 Friday morning and so contributed to the protest.
The faculty’s dean, Josip Milat, voiced his support to the students, saying he would support their demands for free education as long as the protests do not turn into violence. Some 100 students gathered in front of he faculty in Split, but they are expecting the number to increase significantly over the course of the day.
The director of the Split University, Ivan Pavic, also expressed his support to the students, stressing that an agreement should be reached very soon after the students make their demands more specific. The Students’ Corps and the Students for Students Association will organise a peaceful protest on the campus, which members of the Independent Students’ Initiative are opposing.
The faculty’s dean, Josip Milat, voiced his support to the students, saying he would support their demands for free education as long as the protests do not turn into violence. Some 100 students gathered in front of he faculty in Split, but they are expecting the number to increase significantly over the course of the day.
The director of the Split University, Ivan Pavic, also expressed his support to the students, stressing that an agreement should be reached very soon after the students make their demands more specific. The Students’ Corps and the Students for Students Association will organise a peaceful protest on the campus, which members of the Independent Students’ Initiative are opposing.
Montenegro moves one step closer to EU candidacy
Montenegro moved a small step closer to becoming a candidate for European Union membership on Thursday as the bloc's member states agreed to send its application for official scrutiny.
Montenegro applied for official candidate status on December 15, but EU member states spent the next four months at loggerheads as they debated whether the small Balkan state - which broke away from union with Serbia in 2006 - should be granted it.
On Thursday, however, they agreed to pass the application on to the EU's executive, the European Commission, asking the body to advise them on whether to accept Montenegro as an official candidate.
Commission officials said that the time the in-depth study required to make that decision takes would depend on the speed with which Montenegro responds to EU questions.
In the case of current candidate Croatia, the process took 14 months, while in the case of Macedonia it took 18 months.
Once the commission makes its recommendation, it will be up to EU member states to decide whether or not to accept it, and when the bloc should open accession talks.
Montenegro applied for official candidate status on December 15, but EU member states spent the next four months at loggerheads as they debated whether the small Balkan state - which broke away from union with Serbia in 2006 - should be granted it.
On Thursday, however, they agreed to pass the application on to the EU's executive, the European Commission, asking the body to advise them on whether to accept Montenegro as an official candidate.
Commission officials said that the time the in-depth study required to make that decision takes would depend on the speed with which Montenegro responds to EU questions.
In the case of current candidate Croatia, the process took 14 months, while in the case of Macedonia it took 18 months.
Once the commission makes its recommendation, it will be up to EU member states to decide whether or not to accept it, and when the bloc should open accession talks.
Bosnia believes in EU membership by 2015
Despite its many internal problems, Bosnia and Herzegovina could join the EU by 2015, the country's foreign minister has said, adding that he expects Nato accession to materialise even earlier.
"For Bosnia and Herzegovina it will take at least four, five years to get there [achieve EU membership] …If it's not 2013-2014, maybe 2015," Bosnian foreign minister Sven Alkalaj told a group of journalists in Sarajevo on Thursday (23 April).
"By that time the EU will have overcome the economic crisis, it will definitely overcome its internal problems," he added.
Mr Alkalaj's comments come as a certain number of EU member states, including France and Germany, are warning that no further enlargement can take place before the bloc's institutional deadlock is broken and the Lisbon treaty is ratified.
The EU has also acknowledged that the global economic crisis is likely to distract member states from the enlargement process.
Bosnia's foreign minister remained optimistic, however, stressing that Sarajevo hopes to file its application for EU membership this autumn.
"It will very much depend on us and when we are ready to join the EU. I think there won't be a reason for any further disturbances," Mr Alkalaj said.
According to him, Bosnia's membership of Nato is even closer in time than that of the EU, as "the path to Nato is very much advanced."
"We hope that in May we will present our application to the membership action plan, which is in a way a door knock to full-fledged membership of Nato, which we expect to acquire …most probably in 2011."
Bosnia's demons
Bosnia and Herzegovina – which was 14 years ago just emerging from the bloody war that followed the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia in 1992 to 1995 – has two autonomous regions, the Muslim-Croat federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Serb-inhabited Republika Srpska.
Its complicated internal functioning and constitution, as well as the animosities between the country's three leaders, have considerably slowed reforms.
At the end of last year Brussels multiplied warning signs to Sarajevo, criticising the government's lack of "a sense of urgency or responsibility to overcome the stalemate" on most issues.
Mr Alkalaj acknowledged Bosnia had serious difficulties advancing with its key constitutional reform, and added that this is unlikely to change before the next elections in the country in 2010.
The reform is currently blocked by Republika Srpska insisting on keeping a high degree of autonomy, while the federation pushes for a stronger centralised state.
But although this issue should be solved before Bosnia becomes an EU member, it should not hinder the accession process itself, the minister argued.
The international presence in the country in the form of an EU mission and international envoy with strong governing powers is not incompatible with Bosnia becoming an EU candidate either, he said.
Additionally, "the role of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) is definitely diminishing, it's a matter of months I would say for closing it. I don't see it beyond June 2010," Mr Alkalaj pointed out.
Visa deal to avoid 'brainwashing'
The minister also insisted on the need to achieve full visa liberalisation with the EU, saying this is especially important for young people in Bosnia who can be "easily be brainwashed" and "lured into nationalistic views" if they are isolated and not allowed to travel freely.
Visa requirements were imposed on the western Balkan countries in the aftermath of the 1990s Yugoslav war, with the EU promising as far back as 2003 to start talks with the countries' governments to reverse this.
Brussels has indicated it could recommend lifting the requirements in the first half of this year for those countries that have carried out enough reforms.
According to its assessment, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro are currently the most advanced in that respect, while Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina are the least prepared.
Isolation risk
But Mr Alkalaj warned that if Brussels proceeds with lifting the visa requirements for other countries of the region and not for Bosnia, this could create problems for the Muslim population of the country.
"Practically all Bosnian Croats" currently have dual citizenship and Croat passports, meaning they can already travel visa-free. If Serbia obtains a visa-free regime, Bosnian Serbs "will do the same and apply for Serbian passports."
"So, the remaining group which will be in a way ghettoised is the Bosnian Muslims, not having this opportunity …This will be a wrong political message," Mr Alkalaj said.
"For Bosnia and Herzegovina it will take at least four, five years to get there [achieve EU membership] …If it's not 2013-2014, maybe 2015," Bosnian foreign minister Sven Alkalaj told a group of journalists in Sarajevo on Thursday (23 April).
"By that time the EU will have overcome the economic crisis, it will definitely overcome its internal problems," he added.
Mr Alkalaj's comments come as a certain number of EU member states, including France and Germany, are warning that no further enlargement can take place before the bloc's institutional deadlock is broken and the Lisbon treaty is ratified.
The EU has also acknowledged that the global economic crisis is likely to distract member states from the enlargement process.
Bosnia's foreign minister remained optimistic, however, stressing that Sarajevo hopes to file its application for EU membership this autumn.
"It will very much depend on us and when we are ready to join the EU. I think there won't be a reason for any further disturbances," Mr Alkalaj said.
According to him, Bosnia's membership of Nato is even closer in time than that of the EU, as "the path to Nato is very much advanced."
"We hope that in May we will present our application to the membership action plan, which is in a way a door knock to full-fledged membership of Nato, which we expect to acquire …most probably in 2011."
Bosnia's demons
Bosnia and Herzegovina – which was 14 years ago just emerging from the bloody war that followed the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia in 1992 to 1995 – has two autonomous regions, the Muslim-Croat federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Serb-inhabited Republika Srpska.
Its complicated internal functioning and constitution, as well as the animosities between the country's three leaders, have considerably slowed reforms.
At the end of last year Brussels multiplied warning signs to Sarajevo, criticising the government's lack of "a sense of urgency or responsibility to overcome the stalemate" on most issues.
Mr Alkalaj acknowledged Bosnia had serious difficulties advancing with its key constitutional reform, and added that this is unlikely to change before the next elections in the country in 2010.
The reform is currently blocked by Republika Srpska insisting on keeping a high degree of autonomy, while the federation pushes for a stronger centralised state.
But although this issue should be solved before Bosnia becomes an EU member, it should not hinder the accession process itself, the minister argued.
The international presence in the country in the form of an EU mission and international envoy with strong governing powers is not incompatible with Bosnia becoming an EU candidate either, he said.
Additionally, "the role of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) is definitely diminishing, it's a matter of months I would say for closing it. I don't see it beyond June 2010," Mr Alkalaj pointed out.
Visa deal to avoid 'brainwashing'
The minister also insisted on the need to achieve full visa liberalisation with the EU, saying this is especially important for young people in Bosnia who can be "easily be brainwashed" and "lured into nationalistic views" if they are isolated and not allowed to travel freely.
Visa requirements were imposed on the western Balkan countries in the aftermath of the 1990s Yugoslav war, with the EU promising as far back as 2003 to start talks with the countries' governments to reverse this.
Brussels has indicated it could recommend lifting the requirements in the first half of this year for those countries that have carried out enough reforms.
According to its assessment, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro are currently the most advanced in that respect, while Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina are the least prepared.
Isolation risk
But Mr Alkalaj warned that if Brussels proceeds with lifting the visa requirements for other countries of the region and not for Bosnia, this could create problems for the Muslim population of the country.
"Practically all Bosnian Croats" currently have dual citizenship and Croat passports, meaning they can already travel visa-free. If Serbia obtains a visa-free regime, Bosnian Serbs "will do the same and apply for Serbian passports."
"So, the remaining group which will be in a way ghettoised is the Bosnian Muslims, not having this opportunity …This will be a wrong political message," Mr Alkalaj said.
Border dispute with Slovenia delays Croatia EU entry talks
The European Union has postponed an accession conference with Croatia planned for today after Zagreb failed to make progress in a border row with EU member Slovenia, the Czech EU Presidency said yesterday (23 April).
Also on Thursday, Slovenia called off a meeting between the prime ministers of the two countries.
A Zagreb government source told Croatia's state news agency Hina that Slovenia "did not suggest an alternative date or give reasons for the cancellation".
The row between the two former Yugoslav republics has held up Croatia's negotiations with the bloc because Slovenia, as an EU member state, has veto power over progress in the talks.
If the dispute is not resolved quickly, Croatia could fail to achieve its goal of finishing entry talks this year and joining the bloc in 2010 or 2011, diplomats say. They also say Zagreb is lagging behind with reforms in some key areas like the judiciary, agriculture and the ailing shipbuilding industry.
"A new date (for the conference) is to be set subject to positive development," the EU presidency said in a statement.
"The lack of headway in the negotiations on chapters that are ready to be opened and closed does not reflect the actual progress achieved on the ground by Croatia."
It added that the trio of the past, present and incoming EU presidencies - France, the Czech Republic and Sweden - had "strong conviction that an agreement allowing to proceed with the negotiations is now within reach".
Croatia and Slovenia held another round of talks with EU officials in Brussels on Wednesday and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn came up with a fresh proposal to resolve a dispute.
According to media reports, Rehn proposed forming an ad-hoc arbitration commission for the border, which should operate on principles of international law, something that Croatia insists on.
For Slovenia's access to international waters - a key worry for Ljubljana in the dispute - arbitrators could also take into consideration what they deem to be fair and equitable, as demanded by Ljubljana.
The border dispute, dating back to the 1991 breakup of Yugoslavia, prompted Slovenia to veto large parts of Croatia's EU talks in December.
Also on Thursday, Slovenia called off a meeting between the prime ministers of the two countries.
A Zagreb government source told Croatia's state news agency Hina that Slovenia "did not suggest an alternative date or give reasons for the cancellation".
The row between the two former Yugoslav republics has held up Croatia's negotiations with the bloc because Slovenia, as an EU member state, has veto power over progress in the talks.
If the dispute is not resolved quickly, Croatia could fail to achieve its goal of finishing entry talks this year and joining the bloc in 2010 or 2011, diplomats say. They also say Zagreb is lagging behind with reforms in some key areas like the judiciary, agriculture and the ailing shipbuilding industry.
"A new date (for the conference) is to be set subject to positive development," the EU presidency said in a statement.
"The lack of headway in the negotiations on chapters that are ready to be opened and closed does not reflect the actual progress achieved on the ground by Croatia."
It added that the trio of the past, present and incoming EU presidencies - France, the Czech Republic and Sweden - had "strong conviction that an agreement allowing to proceed with the negotiations is now within reach".
Croatia and Slovenia held another round of talks with EU officials in Brussels on Wednesday and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn came up with a fresh proposal to resolve a dispute.
According to media reports, Rehn proposed forming an ad-hoc arbitration commission for the border, which should operate on principles of international law, something that Croatia insists on.
For Slovenia's access to international waters - a key worry for Ljubljana in the dispute - arbitrators could also take into consideration what they deem to be fair and equitable, as demanded by Ljubljana.
The border dispute, dating back to the 1991 breakup of Yugoslavia, prompted Slovenia to veto large parts of Croatia's EU talks in December.
EU enlargment commissioner for lifting of visa regime for Balkan countries
The European Enlargment Commissioner Olli Rehn said Thursday he hoped that lifting of the visa regime for the Balkan's countries would be proposed before the Czech presidency over the Union ends on 1 July.
During his speech in the debate entitled "Consolidating of Stability and Prosperity of Western Balkans," Rehn said that such a move would enable the Council of EU to take a decision for abolishing of the visa requirements for the countries that have met the necessary conditions.
As to the enlargment of EU, Rehn urged for consolidating of the Union, underlying that the key of such reinstated consensus would be respecting of the existing conditions, instead of setting new ones, Makfax agency said.
"In other words, if the Western Balkan's countries fulfil the already set conditions, they could make a progress," Rehn explained.
The debate in the European Parliament was initiated by the Report on Western Balkan, presented by the Sweden's MEP Ana Ibrisagic.
During his speech in the debate entitled "Consolidating of Stability and Prosperity of Western Balkans," Rehn said that such a move would enable the Council of EU to take a decision for abolishing of the visa requirements for the countries that have met the necessary conditions.
As to the enlargment of EU, Rehn urged for consolidating of the Union, underlying that the key of such reinstated consensus would be respecting of the existing conditions, instead of setting new ones, Makfax agency said.
"In other words, if the Western Balkan's countries fulfil the already set conditions, they could make a progress," Rehn explained.
The debate in the European Parliament was initiated by the Report on Western Balkan, presented by the Sweden's MEP Ana Ibrisagic.
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