A more visible commitment of Europe to Bosnia-Herzegovina, which, nine years after the end of the war, has still not completely recovered from its psychological and social injuries, is urged by the European Commissions of Justice and Peace, that met for their annual assembly at Sarajevo from 25 to 28 September. These commissions form an international network that maintains ongoing contacts with the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, the Ccee and Comece. “The psychological, social and economic problems of the war and its aftermath says the final communiqué will continue to threaten the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina unless Europe intervenes. This would destroy the Balkan countries and represent a defeat for the European project”. The representatives of 18 countries (though the Conference brings together 28 commissions, founded following Vatican Council II to tackle political, social, economic and ecological and human-rights issues) dedicated a large part of the meeting to the situation of civil society in Bosnia-Herzegovina, listening to the intervention of various experts. Bishop Pero Sudar of Sarajevo emphasised “the importance of the truth in the analysis of the past to shape the present and the future”. According to many speakers, the Dayton Accords, signed in 1995, “were first of all an armistice and not a peace treaty. They put an end to the war, but were not intended to secure a lasting peace”. That’s why numerous European politicians have signed an appeal to mark the 10th anniversary of the Dayton Accords, urging that an international conference be organized in 2005 to examine “the future of Bosnia-Herzegovina and to examine whether Europe has gained an awareness of its responsibility”.
