For many Bosnians, the optimism of November 21, 1995, has faded. The United States-brokered agreement ended a conflict between Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks that killed around 100,000 people, but it also split the country into two autonomous regions: the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska and the Federation shared by Croats and Bosniaks. A tripartite presidency presides, but with limited power.
Despite post-war economic gains and the prospect of European Union membership, corruption and slow decision-making continue to hold the country back. Unofficial estimates suggest at least 600,000 people have left in the last 12 years, with many Croats in the northern Posavina region moving to Croatia or elsewhere in the European Union.
"The people have no economic stability whatsoever. The situation has worsened, not improved, after Dayton," says a resident (via Reuters), pointing to empty houses rebuilt after the war. Three decades on, Bosnia remains a country at peace, but one still grappling with division and the challenge of securing a stable future.
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