PUBLICATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS “INSTRUMENTALIZATION AND POLITICIZATION OF NATIONAL RIGHTS: THE ‘ALL-SERBIAN ASSEMBLY’ DECLARATION AS A CONTINUITY OF EXPANSIONIST STATE POLICY”

The University of Sarajevo – Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law informs the public that the proceedings titled “Instrumentalization and Politicization of National Rights: The ‘All-Serbian Assembly’ Declaration as a Continuity of Expansionist State Policy” have been published. The volume is edited by Prof. Dr. Ermin Kuka, Scientific Advisor at the Institute.

The proceedings are the result of a scientific conference held on January 9, 2025, in the Ceremonial Hall of the Rectorate of the University of Sarajevo. The papers included in the volume offer theoretical and empirical analyses of the “All-Serbian Assembly” Declaration, examining it within a broader political, legal, and historical context.

The structure of the volume consists of scientific papers, as well as presentations, discussions, and reflections from the conference, along with conclusions and recommendations, including the full text of the Declaration, also translated into English. The published papers point to the complexity of contemporary processes involving the politicization of national rights and the instrumentalization of the past, as well as their impact on sovereignty, the constitutional-legal order, and the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The “All-Serbian Assembly” Declaration, which includes joint objectives and activities of Serbia and the Bosnia and Herzegovina entity Republika Srpska (RS)—with the entity acting as an autonomous subject in international matters—represents a serious challenge to the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its status as an internationally recognized state. The disregard for the decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina constitutes an additional threat to the rule of law, thereby destabilizing the country’s legal framework. Such documents, and their implementation in practice, not only undermine the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina but also endanger its sovereignty, directly affecting the foundations of the Dayton Peace Agreement and creating a serious legal challenge for the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the international community.

The papers published in this volume clearly indicate that the “All-Serbian Assembly” Declaration is not an isolated political act, but rather a continuation and a new phase of a long-standing project aimed at undermining the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, thereby deepening existing challenges and adding a new dimension to them. In this context, it is hoped that the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina will demonstrate the institutional strength, political maturity, and constitutional responsibility to decisively oppose all forms of encroachment on state sovereignty within the framework of domestic and international legal order, and that the findings and recommendations presented at the conference and in this volume will serve as a relevant scientific and professional basis for the development of appropriate policies and measures.

With the publication of this volume, the Institute continues its scientific and social mission of providing an evidence-based and research-grounded response to current political and security challenges.

The proceedings are indexed in the international database Central and Eastern European Online Library.