Bosnia and Herzegovina Industry

Half of Bosnia’s industrial capacity was destroyed during the 1992-95 war and the sector has not fully recovered. The most important industries manufacture metal and chemical products, as well as wood and paper products, textiles and food.

• According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER, BA stands for the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina in geography.

The mining and metal industry not only produces iron and steel, but also aluminum, for example. The international financial crisis of 2008 hit hard on the industrial sector, especially against the metal industry, which was hit by failed foreign investment.

• COUNTRYAAH: List of top trading partners of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Includes countries that imported most shipments from and exported most goods to the country.

2016

December

Life time is required for Mladić

December 7

Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court for former Yugoslavia in The Hague demand in their final plea that Bosnian Serb former commander Ratko Mladić be sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide and other atrocities during the 1992-95 war. Mladić has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The final verdict is expected in 2017.

October

New opposition leader in Republika Srpska

October 23

Vukota Govedarica is elected leader of SDS, after strong criticism of former party leader Mladen Bosić because of the party’s poor results in the local elections.

Local elections in both entities

October 2

In the Federation, SDA backs slightly when local elections are held, but the party remains by a good margin the largest, followed by HDZ BiH, which strengthens its position. In Republika Srpska, the governing SNSD is strongly ahead of the rival rival SDS’s expense.

September

Yes in referendum in Republika Srpska

September 26th

Despite the Constitutional Court classifying the referendum as unconstitutional, Republika Srpska is voting. Preliminary figures show that an overwhelming majority of voters say yes on January 9 as the official national day for the sub-republic.

The EU accepts Bosnia’s application for membership

September 20

The EU decides to formally approve the Bosnia and Herzegovina membership application in February. However, there is a long way for the country, legally, economically and politically, before it can start negotiating with the EU.

August

Dodik adheres to referendum on “National Day”

August 24th

After a meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republican Srpska President Milorad Dodik says he is adhering to a referendum in the sub-republic to celebrate January 9 as Republican Srpska Day, despite the Constitutional Court ruling in November 2015 that such is discriminatory against non-Serbian residents of the entity. Critics believe that the announced referendum is a trial balloon ahead of a possible later referendum on independence for the Republic Srpska.

June

The census results are presented

June 30th

Despite protests from the Bosnian Serbs, figures from the 2013 census are published. They show, among other things, that the population has fallen by almost a fifth since 1991, that the Bosnians constitute just over half of the population, the Serbs just under 31 percent and the Croats just over 15 percent (see Population and languages).

School boycott in Srebrenica

June 13th

Bosnian parents in Srebrenica are launching a boycott of elementary schools due to long-standing disagreement over the official name of the language their children are being taught. The city authorities, located in Republic of Srpska, call it “the language of the Bosnian people” while the parents want it should be called “the Bosnian language”, ie a language spoken by all Bosnia and Herzegovina residents. The Bosnian Serbs want to distinguish between “Bosnian”, Serbian and Croatian.

May

New agreement with the IMF

24th of May

As the Bosnian economy shows signs of recovery, after several months of negotiations, the IMF will agree with Bosnia on a new support program worth € 550 million. The agreement, which runs for four years, is expected to be approved by the IMF board in July and a first tranche of EUR 100 million will be paid out in September. The credits will primarily contribute to measures in the labor market and to the resumption of the interrupted privatization process.

Double demonstration train in Republika Srpska

May 14

In Banja Luka, supporters of the sitting government in the Republika Srpska and the opposition are gathered in each demonstration train. Independent sources estimate the number of participants, who have come by bus from the entire sub-republic, to about 10,000 in each train, and the two are separated by around 2,000 police officers to avoid trouble. The opposition calls for the resignation of the government because of the corruption and the deep political, economic and social crisis in the republic. However, neither the opposition nor the government has any proposals for solutions to the crisis, however, both with strong Serbian nationalist statements.

March

Karadžić is sentenced to 40 years in prison

24th of March

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić is sentenced to 40 years in prison after nearly seven years of trial at the UN War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. After hearing more than 500 witnesses, Karadžić is found guilty of ten out of eleven indictments, including the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, terrorist attacks on the Sarajevo population from 1992 to 1995, hostage-taking of UN peacekeeping personnel, and persecution and extermination of Bosniaks and Croats in 20 communities around Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war in the Balkans. However, he is acquitted of the charges of genocide in seven communities in 1992.

February

Agreements should block out migrants

February 25th

Foreign and home ministers from nine Balkan countries, including Bosnia and Austria, conclude an agreement to coordinate efforts to limit the flow of migrants, citing security, integration challenges and resource scarcity. Criticism comes from Greece, where many migrants are now getting stuck.

Bosnia is applying for EU membership

February 15

An official application is submitted to join the Union. Many see it as a milestone in overcoming the great political and ethnic divide in Bosnia. However, the road to full membership is still long.

Dodik reverses referendum

February 8

The president of the Republika Srpska says that a referendum passed by Parliament in July 2015, on the right of Bosnian judges to judge Serbs, should be held only when all Bosnian Serb parties agree. According to analysts, Serbia has pressed Dodik on the issue.