SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
According to the New York Times, the demonstrators chanted slogans against the "criminals" in government and urged those in authority to "resign today."
Sparked by a demonstration in the city of Tuzla last week--where recently laid-off workers rose up against the failed privatization of previously state-owned companies--the protests have spread across Bosnia-Herzegovina in more than 30 cities, thus far forcing the resignation of the leaders of four regional cantons.
On Friday, demonstrators -- which according to The New York Times included "unemployed youths, war veterans and disgruntled workers, among others"-- set fire to government buildings in the capital and across the country.
Most remarkable about the uprising, witnesses note, is how it has connected the disparate and frequently-feuding ethnic groups.
"In one of the photos from the protests, we see the demonstrators waving three flags side by side: Bosnian, Serb, Croat," writes Slavoj Zizek, international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London. "[W]e are dealing with a rebellion against nationalist elites: the people of Bosnia have finally understood who their true enemy is: not other ethnic groups, but their own leaders who pretend to protect them from others."
"I think the biggest fear of our politicians is a united people," demonstrator Lejla Kusturica told the New York Times.
With overall unemployment estimated to be as high as 40 percent among the general population, and 70 percent among young people, the protesters are denouncing the overly-bureaucratic system which they say only divides the population and caters to elites.
As the New York Times explains:
The Dayton accords among the leaders of warring Serbs, Croats and Muslims -- the latter now called Bosniaks -- brought an end to the 1992-95 civil war by constructing a decentralized state that gave each a share of power and none of them dominance. [...] But the Bosnians have since added layers of complexity to the original design that have entrenched the political elite while often hindering economic development.
According to Zizek, one of the primary targets of the protesters is the EU administration overseeing the Bosnian state which, he says, "entrenches partitions" by only dealing with "national elites as their privileged partners."
_____________________
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
According to the New York Times, the demonstrators chanted slogans against the "criminals" in government and urged those in authority to "resign today."
Sparked by a demonstration in the city of Tuzla last week--where recently laid-off workers rose up against the failed privatization of previously state-owned companies--the protests have spread across Bosnia-Herzegovina in more than 30 cities, thus far forcing the resignation of the leaders of four regional cantons.
On Friday, demonstrators -- which according to The New York Times included "unemployed youths, war veterans and disgruntled workers, among others"-- set fire to government buildings in the capital and across the country.
Most remarkable about the uprising, witnesses note, is how it has connected the disparate and frequently-feuding ethnic groups.
"In one of the photos from the protests, we see the demonstrators waving three flags side by side: Bosnian, Serb, Croat," writes Slavoj Zizek, international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London. "[W]e are dealing with a rebellion against nationalist elites: the people of Bosnia have finally understood who their true enemy is: not other ethnic groups, but their own leaders who pretend to protect them from others."
"I think the biggest fear of our politicians is a united people," demonstrator Lejla Kusturica told the New York Times.
With overall unemployment estimated to be as high as 40 percent among the general population, and 70 percent among young people, the protesters are denouncing the overly-bureaucratic system which they say only divides the population and caters to elites.
As the New York Times explains:
The Dayton accords among the leaders of warring Serbs, Croats and Muslims -- the latter now called Bosniaks -- brought an end to the 1992-95 civil war by constructing a decentralized state that gave each a share of power and none of them dominance. [...] But the Bosnians have since added layers of complexity to the original design that have entrenched the political elite while often hindering economic development.
According to Zizek, one of the primary targets of the protesters is the EU administration overseeing the Bosnian state which, he says, "entrenches partitions" by only dealing with "national elites as their privileged partners."
_____________________
According to the New York Times, the demonstrators chanted slogans against the "criminals" in government and urged those in authority to "resign today."
Sparked by a demonstration in the city of Tuzla last week--where recently laid-off workers rose up against the failed privatization of previously state-owned companies--the protests have spread across Bosnia-Herzegovina in more than 30 cities, thus far forcing the resignation of the leaders of four regional cantons.
On Friday, demonstrators -- which according to The New York Times included "unemployed youths, war veterans and disgruntled workers, among others"-- set fire to government buildings in the capital and across the country.
Most remarkable about the uprising, witnesses note, is how it has connected the disparate and frequently-feuding ethnic groups.
"In one of the photos from the protests, we see the demonstrators waving three flags side by side: Bosnian, Serb, Croat," writes Slavoj Zizek, international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London. "[W]e are dealing with a rebellion against nationalist elites: the people of Bosnia have finally understood who their true enemy is: not other ethnic groups, but their own leaders who pretend to protect them from others."
"I think the biggest fear of our politicians is a united people," demonstrator Lejla Kusturica told the New York Times.
With overall unemployment estimated to be as high as 40 percent among the general population, and 70 percent among young people, the protesters are denouncing the overly-bureaucratic system which they say only divides the population and caters to elites.
As the New York Times explains:
The Dayton accords among the leaders of warring Serbs, Croats and Muslims -- the latter now called Bosniaks -- brought an end to the 1992-95 civil war by constructing a decentralized state that gave each a share of power and none of them dominance. [...] But the Bosnians have since added layers of complexity to the original design that have entrenched the political elite while often hindering economic development.
According to Zizek, one of the primary targets of the protesters is the EU administration overseeing the Bosnian state which, he says, "entrenches partitions" by only dealing with "national elites as their privileged partners."
_____________________