The Contribution of Ruling Bosnian and Herzegovinian Political Parties to the Outbreak of War in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Po esencijalnom dijelu svog ustavnog određenja (Ustav 1974.) Socijalistička Republika Bosna i Hercegovina (BiH) bila je definirana kao tvorevina triju konstitutivnih, suverenih i međusobno jednakopravnih naroda: Hrvata, Srba i Muslimana (Bošnjaka). Političko-pravni model zasnovan na tom određenju svakom je od triju naroda trebao osigurati potpunu zaštitu nacionalnih pozicija. Međutim, Savez komunista BiH do samog kraja svoje vlasti nije na tom određenju kreirao odgovarajuće unutrašnje uređenje BiH. Takvo koji bi u okolnostima raspada Jugoslavije na najbolji način doprinijelo očuvanju bosansko-hercegovačkog multietnicizma i mira u toj republici. Time je, sukladno rezultatima izbora održanih u studenom 1990. problematika strukturiranja nacionalnih statusa i odnosa \u27\u27prepuštena\u27\u27 pobjedničkim strankama: bosansko-hercegovačkoj Hrvatskoj demokratskoj zajednici (HDZ) i Srpskoj demokratskoj stranci (SDS) te muslimanskoj/bošnjačkoj Stranci demokratske akcije (SDA). Te stranke praktički nisu niti pokušale na navedenom određenju iznaći rješenje za nacionalne statuse i odnose. Nasuprot, svojim egoističnim državotvornim ciljevima kao i djelovanjem na njihovom ostvarenju one su, svaka na svoj način, izuzetno poticajno djelovale na produbljivanje konfliktnog ozračja. U konačnici, na otpočinjanje otvorenog ratnog sukoba u BiH koji izbija početkom travnja 1992.According to the essential part of its constitutional makeup (1974 Constitution) the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B-H) was defined as an entity of three constitutional, sovereign and mutually equal peoples: Croats, Serbs and Muslims (Bosniaks). Such a political and legal model was meant to ensure full protection of national interests of all three peoples. However, until its very end, the League of Communists of Bosnia and Herzegovina could not establish an internal makeup of Bosnia and Herzegovina according to these principles. Such a makeup should have, in the event of a breakup of Yugoslavia, enabled the best possible protection of Bosnian-Herzegovinian multiethnicity and peace in that republic. Thus, the issue of regulation of national interests and relations was, according to results of elections held in November 1990, was “left over“ to the winning political parties: Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ) and Serb Democratic Party (SDS), as well as Muslim/Bosniak Party of Democratic Action (SDA). These parties practically did not even try to find solutions to national interests and relations according to the mentioned principles. On the contrary, by pursuing their egotist state-building goals they, each in its own way, gave a major contribution to the escalation of an atmosphere of conflict. This eventually led to an open armed conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina in April 1992