SARAJEVO (Bosnia and Herzegovina), February 10 (SeeNews) – The European Union (EU) heads of missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday called for dialogue between the authorities and the citizens.
A wave of anti-government protests over persistent unemployment, corruption and lack of political progress broke out in the Southeast European country last week. The unrest began in the city of Tuzla on Wednesday over the closure of bankrupt local factories which had employed most of the local population.
"In the current social, economic and political situation, open dialogue between citizens and authorities is of the highest importance," the EU heads of mission said in a statement. "Such dialogue must address how to strengthen the rule of law, boost the economy and improve overall quality of life and the prospects for young people."
Politicians and leaders should then address these concerns directly with credible, concrete action, the statement added.
The EU heads of missions condemned as absolutely unacceptable violence towards police, journalists, protestors, public or private property.
“We strongly reject any and all attempts to exploit recent events to raise ethnic tensions, and we encourage the continuation of normal public life,” they added.
Earlier in the day daily Dnevni Avaz (www.avaz.ba) reported that the police has dispersed most of protestors that had gathered in the centre of Sarajevo.
Bosnia is divided into a Serb Republic and a Muslim-Croat Federation by the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement that put an end to the three-and-a-half-year ethnic war in the country. The Republic and the Federation have their own governments and parliaments linked by a weak central government.