Friday, February 7, 2014

Bosnia-Herzegovina rocked by violent protests

Sarajevo and other urban areas of Bosnia are experiencing periods of violent protest after what The Guardian calls years of "economic and political stagnation" following a civil war, which ended in 1995. Ethnic strife plagues the region's politics, making progress costly and slow. In the city of Tuzla, over 5,000 protesters stormed a government building and hurled electronics from windows. Protesters are also attacking police with rocks, reports indicate; police are responding with tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons.

Bosnia's economic outlook remains bleak, as unemployment nears 30 percent. According to a protester, young people are unable to find work and old people lack the security of a pension. It remains unclear how government officials plan to address the violence and its underlying causes. What is clear is that officials must raise the public's level of trust in their endeavors, as corruption is also perceived to be rampant.

You can read more about the issue here.

Posted by Colin Wescott

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