Bosnia and Herzegovina today The following pages contain general information about Bosnia and Herzegovina as it is today. Chapter 1: Geography Chapter 2: Political organisation Chapter 3: Current political overview, Chapter 4: The military Chapter 5: Economy Chapter 6: Culture Chapter 7: Medical Statistics Glossary

Chapter 1

Geography of Bosnia and Herzegovina

by Thierry Domin
First published in
SFOR Informer#124, October 17, 2001

Surrounded by Croatia in the Southwest and much of the North, by Serbia and Montenegro in the East, Bosnia and Herzegovina is not such a large country. It has borders with Croatia (at the Southwest and the largest part of the North), Serbia (at the Northeast) and Montenegro (at the Southeast).
The country is only 51,100 square kilometres (as an example, Switzerland is 41,293 square kilometres), with the shape of an isosceles triangle; each side of the right angle measures about 300 kilometres, from Trebinje to Bijeljina and from Bijeljina to Velika Kladusa. It is this shape that is symbolised on the BiH national flag.

1.1 Facts and figures

But to count in kilometres in this country doesn't make any sense. For those who regularly travel, it's better to count in hours, and it is even worse during the winter season. This is because, and everybody is aware of this fact, BiH is a mountainous country. Its mountains are not very high (the summit is a peak in the Maglic Range, at the border with Montenegro, with a height of 2,383 metres, 7,821 feet), but when you drive you never stop going up and down. The reason is that the Alps, called the Dinaric Alps here, run across two thirds of BiH, from the Northwest to the Southeast. Hence this succession of mountains, high plateaux and deep valleys. The only flat open country is located in the North: it is the beginning (or the end) of the great Hungarian plains, the former "Puszta."
The hilly relief explains the hydrology. The rivers quite unanimously flow towards the North because the natural slope of the mountains gradually climbs towards the South. From west to east, the main rivers are: the Una and its tributary, the Sana (which both give their names to the Una Sana Canton, (Canton 1); the Vrbas (which flows through Banja Luka); the Bosna; and finally the Drina (which mainly forms the border with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). All these rivers flow, directly or indirectly, into the Sava River, a tributary of the Danube. The Sava River forms the border with Croatia. The only sizeable exception is the Neretva, flowing first towards the North, but turning back in the vicinity of Konjic and finally flowing into the Adriatic Sea.
The mouth of the Neretva River is not located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but in Croatia. The fact is that BiH has a very small coastline, about 12 kilometres. And if you travel from Mostar to Dubrovnik using the main roads (Pacman and Cynthia routes), you first enter Croatia in Metkovic, reach and follow the coast, enter BiH again, and finally return to Croatia. On the route, you will pass through the town of Neum, which as result of the borderline, is the only Bosnian town located on the sea. But Neum is all but a port.
To overcome the lack of a port suitable for shipping, BiH signed an agreement two years ago with Croatia for the use of the harbour in Ploce, through which an important amount of goods and commodities arrive by sea. Furthermore, BiH has its own port, but it is a river port: Brcko, located on the Sava River. But the town and the port installations were heavily destroyed during the war. That's why the International Community has a special interest for the re-opening of the facilities of Brcko.

1.2 Human geography

Another aspect of the geography lies in the population settlement. Before the war, apart from some big towns like Sarajevo, Mostar or Banja Luka, the major part of the settlement was rural: a lot of remote hamlets surrounding a mosque, a catholic or an orthodox church. Life there was difficult and hard, especially during the winter season, but these small communities survived, thanks to the solidarity of the villagers. Self-sufficiency prevailed through local agriculture and cattle breeding.
Almost four years of war totally changed this landscape. Even though the three parties (Bosniacs, Bosnian-Croats and Bosnian-Serbs) were of the same ethnicity, the ethnic cleansing they all practised as a strategy drove a large part of the population to flee from their houses, their villages and their areas of settlement. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assessed that, by the beginning of 1996, about one million Displaced Persons were spread out all over the country, while 1.2 million were Refugees abroad. Of course, this movement strengthened the urban population to the detriment of the rural one.
A lot of people of course returned to their pre-war homes. Nevertheless, by Aug. 1, 2001, UNHCR's figures establish that nearly 700,000 Bosnians are still Displaced Persons and Refugees (DPREs). Almost 500,000 persons have the status of Displaced Persons, and a little bit more than 200,000 are still Refugees, mainly in FRY (144,000). It is the hope of the International Community that the improvement of the overall situation in FRY will encourage more and more people to return.
Those horrific figures must be compared to the pre-war population in BiH. A census carried out in 1991, one year before the war, established that the overall population of this country was 4.4 million. That means that one inhabitant in two, just at the end of the war, was not living in his pre-war home but elsewhere. Despite all the efforts and the positive trend observed over the last two years, the situation will never be the same as before the war.
That is also a kind of geographic evolution.

Chapter 2

Political System of Bosnia and Herzegovina

by Thierry Domin
First published in
SFOR Informer#125, October 31, 2001

What better describes a political system than its constitution? In fact, the constitution is the natural framework for all activities, legislation and freedoms. It is the supreme rule applied to all citizens. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is similar to other countries, with its own regulations; but, due to some historical reasons, it looks a little more complicated.

2.1 GFAP

In the beginning, there was the General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH (GFAP), initiated in Dayton, Ohio (USA) and signed in Paris, Dec. 14, 1995. And, wisely, the constitution was included into the GFAP, as its Annex 4. You have to remember that the three representatives of the belligerents, Alija Izetbegovic, Franjo Tudjman and Slobodan Milosevic, signed the whole GFAP, thus approving its whole content. The European Union, France, Germany, United Kingdom and United States "only" witnessed the agreement.
In the strongest sense of the word, the constitution is the primary law. It defines the country with its official name, the two Entities (Federation and Republika Srpska), the capital (Sarajevo). It recalls the human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the obligation to co-operate with the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). It also describes the responsibilities of, and the relations between the common institutions of the State and the Entities.

2.2 Common Institutions

The top common institution is the tri-partite Presidency, whom members - one Bosniac, one Bosnian-Croat and one Bosnian-Serb - rotate every eight months. The executive branch consists also of the Council of Ministers, whose Chair is nominated by the Presidency. In November 2001, six Ministries cover a wide range of activities, with the noteworthy exception of Defence. The legislative branch is made up of the Parliamentary Assembly: the House of Representatives, comprising 42 members directly elected from their own Entity, and the House of Peoples, comprising 15 members selected by the Parliamentary Assemblies of their own Entities.
The common institutions are notably responsible for foreign, financial and monetary policies. They are in charge of immigration, refugee and asylum policy and regulation.
They deal with the common and international communications facilities, to include the air traffic control (See SFOR Informer no 123). As an example, the tri-partite Presidency appoints ambassadors and other international representatives, negotiates, denounces and, with the consent of the Parliamentary Assembly, ratifies treaties of BiH.
Among other notable common institutions are the Constitutional Court, the Central Bank and the Standing Committee on Military Matters (SCMM). This SCMM, selected by the Presidency, has to co-ordinate the activities of the Armed Forces in BiH, which means the Federation Army (VF) with its Bosniac (VF-B) and Bosnian-Croat (VF-H) components, and the Army of Republika Srpska (VR-S). Some observers see in the SCMM the tool for a future common Army, no matter of the Entities.

2.3 The Entities

So far, it's not really complicated. Where things get worse, is when you heap the Entities Institutions upon State ones. Besides the State constitution mentioned above, the Federation and Republika Srpska decided to promulgate their own and separate Constitutions; thus, they have different administrative and political systems. Both, of course, have a President and a vice-president, and all the necessary Ministries. But their legislative branches are quite opposite. Whereas the Federation has the same scheme as the common institutions, i.e. House of People and House of Representatives, Republika Srpska has only a National Assembly, RSNA. To make it simpler, both Entities have their own Constitutional Courts.
The other main difference between the two Entities is the existence of Cantons in the Federation. There are 10 cantons, from one to ten, but unfortunately there is no logical order in their numeration. Cantons are granted a substantial autonomy, an own local government and are allowed to adopt cantonal laws, only if they do not contradict the Federation ones. The system is simpler in the RS, where there are no intermediaries between the central government and the municipalities.

2.4The way ahead

One of the reasons of this complex system is that it was built up for ending a cruel and long war. That's why it is based on mutual concessions, and explains, for instance, the three Constitutions ruling the country. In the long run, it is obvious that simplifications are greatly needed. Even the Constitutions are not eternal, and can be amended as required. One good example was given last year when the State-level Constitutional Court declared illegal some articles of the Entities' Constitutions.
For the time being, the whole International Community, including SFOR, tries to strengthen the common institutions. It's only through the reduction of the discrepancies between the constituent people of the country that BiH could be some day part of Europe or of Partnership for Peace (PfP).
That is the way ahead.

Chapter 3

Political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina
(November 2001)

by Thierry Domin
First published in
SFOR Informer#126, November 14, 2001

The previous article was about the political organisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). You will remember that this country has three different decision-making authorities: the common institutions, at the state level, as well as two executive and legislative powers, one for each Entity (Federation and Republika Srpska), without mentioning the special case of the Brcko District.

The political situation obviously depends on the constitution and in BiH, there are three. But the situation has changed a lot since the end of the war. The key date was just one year ago, Nov. 11, 2000.

3.1 Five uncertain years

Since the end of the war and the signing in Paris, of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH (GFAP), the country had been under the domination of hard-line political parties relying mostly on “ethnic” principles. In the tri-partite presidency, the Bosnian-Serb SPS, the Bosnian-Croat HDZ and the Bosniac SDA ruled, through Zivko Radisic, Ante Jelavic and Alija Izetbegovic, respectively. The situation was similar in both entities, controlled by the same parties or their affiliated ones. Executive, as well as legislative powers were in the hands of non-compliant politicians. The future seemed to be blocked.
The first warning shot across the bows occurred in March 1999, when the then High Representative (HR), Carlos Westendorp, sacked the President of Republika Srpska, Nikola Poplasen, for obstructionism. Furthermore, the HR refused to grant the vice-president the president's powers, even though both had been democratically elected.
Two more important events occurred in the same month: the arbitration on Brcko, splitting the RS in two parts without a territorial continuity, and the beginning of the Kosovo conflict. Bosnian-Serbs had some reasons to be unsatisfied.
Meanwhile, the situation was not really favourable in the Federation. The two-headed authority, led by SDA and HDZ, was hampering any structural reform and was characterised by persistent opposition to change. The cantonal authorities were mainly ruled by ethnic considerations, obstructing the return of Displaced Persons and Refugees (DPREs). The parliamentary assemblies systematically rejected all the reforms.

3.2 2000 General Elections

On Nov. 11, 2000, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), pursuant to its mandate as stated in the GFAP, organised general elections. Electors had to elect the members of the House of Representatives at the state level; the president, the vice-president and the members of National Assembly in RS; and finally the president, the vice-president and the members of the House of Representatives, as well as the cantonal Assemblies, in the Federation. There was no inkling of any change.

In fact, few things changed in the RS. Mirko Sarovic, former vice-president of Nikola Poplasen and a member of SDS, was elected as President and his party obtained a large majority in legislative elections. But, under the pressure of the International Community, SDS agreed not to be part of the government, whose members were chosen among other allied parties. Among them, Mladen Ivanic, president of the PDP, was designated as prime minister. Nevertheless, SDS remained powerful in all the branches.
But in the Federation, it was quite the opposite. The two dominant parties, HDZ and SDA, lost ground as a coalition led by SDP (Zlatko Lagumdzija) and SBiH (Haris Silajdzic) succeeded in gaining the majority. They formed, with eight other small parties, the so-called "Alliance for Change." For the first time since the end of the war, hard-line parties were no longer in control at each level of the Federation political system. But it was also the pretext for the so-called "Bosnian-Croat self-rule," the HDZ refusing to admit its overall decline.
Faced with the intransigence of the HDZ's leader, Ante Jelavic, the HR, Wolfgang Petritsch, sacked him from his positions as member of the tri-partite presidency and president of the HDZ. This decision brought about a certain instability, the main consequences of which were the Hercegovacka Banka affair (see SFOR Informer No. 111, April 18, 2001) and, some few days later, when the loyalty of soldiers belonging to the Bosnian-Croat component (VF-H) of the Federation Army (VF) began to be questioned. SFOR successfully dealt with the two events.

3.3 The consequencies

Meanwhile, also in the Federation, another important event occurred. One of the three members of the presidency resigned, citing health problems; this was Alija Izetbegovic, who had been there from the start. With the sacking by the HR of Ante Jelavic, two of the three slots of the presidency were now vacant. Taking advantage of its electoral success, the Alliance for Change installed two members of the coalition, Beriz Belkic (SBiH) and Jozo Krizanovic (SDP), at the tri-partite presidency.
Thus, the success of the moderate parties also had important consequences for the state-level common institutions. The strengthening of the presidency led to the strengthening of another common institution, the Council of Ministers, chaired first by Bozidar Matic and then by Zlatko Lagumdzija. The results were not long in coming: the Election Law, which had for five long years been continuously rejected by the legislative powers, was finally adopted Aug. 23, 2001. As stated by the HR, it was a first step for BiH towards the Council of Europe.

3.4 And now?

It would be illusory to believe the Nov. 11 elections had solved all the problems by waving a magic wand. The Alliance for Change is a coalition, with a weak majority. The events that happened last May in Trebinje and Banja Luka on the occasion of the laying of the cornerstones of two mosques showed that there is still reluctance for reconciliation. And the re-election of Ante Jelavic as president of the HDZ, Oct. 8, 2001, attests that hard-liners still exist in the Bosnian-Croat community.
But, little by little, things are improving. Of course, most of the SFOR soldiers only stay here six months, or less. It's difficult to see any progress in such a short time.
Nevertheless, progress is being made every day.

Chapter 4

The armed forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina

by Sgt. Peter Fitzgerald
First published in
SFOR Informer#127, November 28, 2001

The primary purpose of any armed force is to defend a country's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is unique, however, with two distinct armed forces in defence of one country. Such a defence structure has led to armed forces that have become an economic burden on the country.

The General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP) allows for two armed forces to respectively represent the country's two entities, the Federation of BiH and the Republika Srpska. The intention of the GFAP was to have the two forces working together in the common defence of BiH. While great strides in co-operation between the two militaries have been made, much work still needs to be done to restructure and downsize the armed forces in BiH (AF in BiH). Currently, military expenditures are too high and the forces are too large to justify such a burden on a peacetime economy.

4.1 Current structure

The forces consist of the Army of the Federation of BiH (VF) and the Army of the Republika Srpska (VRS). The VF is further divided into two components, a Bosniac one (VF-B) and Bosnian-Croat one (VF-H), but only at the headquarters is the VF manned with officers and soldiers of the two components. Ensuring the forces are under civilian control, each entity has a Ministry of Defence. Also, the three members of BiH Presidency serve as the Supreme Commanders of the AF in BiH.
There are currently more than 34,000 professional troops and about 15,000 reservists in the AF in BiH.
The VF, with nearly 24,000 troops (16,618 VF-B, 7,225 VF-H), has four corps. In the VF-B component, the 1st Corps is based in Sarajevo, the 2nd Corps in Tuzla and the 5th Corps in Bihac. The 1st Guard Corps of the VF-H is based in Mostar. The VF has a number of combat arms units, including motorised infantry, mechanised infantry, armoured infantry, field artillery and air defence artillery. Other units include reconnaissance, signal, engineering and logistical support. The VF also has a rapid reaction force and an air force - air defence unit.
With approximately 10,000 soldiers, the VRS also has four corps. Its 1st Corps is in Banja Luka, the 3rd Corps in Bijeljina, the 5th Corps in Sokolac and the 7th Corps is based in Bileca. Similarly, the VRS has a number of combat arms and support units (infantry, artillery, signal, engineering, reconnaissance, logistical). They also have an air force - air defence unit.

4.2 The bottom line

Steady personnel reductions of 15 percent over the past two years have helped to bring the number of troops down, especially from a 1995 end-of-war estimate of 430,000. Still, in a country of 4 million people, supporting 34,000 troops is a great economic burden when levels of unemployment reach 40 percent in BiH.
Last month the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) launched an initiative to raise public awareness of the excessive level of military expenditures in BiH.
"The BiH militaries simply cannot be sustained the way they are," said Robert Beecroft, head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, in an Oct. 11 statement to the press. "They could fulfil their mission far more effectively if their personnel strength were significantly reduced."
The problem lies in military expenditures, where the BiH defence budget is approximately 6 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). European countries spend on average about 1.5 percent of their GDP on the military.
"In many countries the defence budget does not exceed 2 percent of GDP," said Beecroft. "In only a few countries is the defence budget as high as it is in BiH. The bottom line is that a defence budget is not supposed to represent an undue financial burden on a country in peace time."

4.3 What is being done

With the help of organisations like the OSCE, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and SFOR, significant progress has been made in getting the AF in BiH to co-operate in the effort to restructure and downsize the forces.
Dutch Brig. Gen. Ton Strik, assistant chief of staff for Joint Military Affairs, said in Oct. 11 press conference that SFOR's task was to help the AF in BiH become a force to serve the people.
"The armed forces are now in the process of restructuring and we as SFOR together with other organisations of the international community are assisting them," he said.
Also, a common defence policy has been developed and progress has been shown through the Joint Military Commission (JMC). At a Nov. 7 JMC meeting, both armed forces discussed plans to further reduce their militaries over the next several years to a force of about 20,000 troops.
Lt. Gen. Novica Simic, VRS chief of staff, said his force will shrink to 6,600 troops by 2005.
"The restructuring is not only about manpower reduction, but also disbanding units and closing certain sites," he added. "It is our goal to create small armies that can eventually support United Nations operations."
British Maj. Gen. John Kiszely, SFOR deputy commander of operations, said these plans will help the AF in BiH become a "force of good."
"The plans that both parties have put forward constitute a remarkable step forward and a significant milestone in the process of restructuring (the AF in BiH)," he said.
While admitting that the complex process has a long way to go, Kiszely added that forces made "great strides" in the restructuring process.
"The plans show great promise for the future," he said.

Chapter 5

Economy and society in Bosnia and Herzegovina

by Thierry Domin
First published in
SFOR Informer#128, December 12, 2001

The economic model - and its social counterpart - is one of the main political decisions of the state, and has a daily impact upon the citizen's life. The re-distribution of the national wealth, the priorities between the various ministries and the orientations chosen as far as it concerns social policy determine the kind of economy: free market or state interventionism, with all the shades between the two.

Before the war, as the name indicates, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a socialist state, nevertheless with an interventionism less strong than in communist countries. Of course, this was also so in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main indicators of this policy were the small number of privately-owned firms, the high degree of social re-distribution and the predominance of heavy industries, as in Zenica (BiH Steel) or in Mostar (Aluminji). Furthermore, in his desire to strengthen the unity of the whole country, Marshall Tito spread out the points of fabrication of consumer goods among the whole of Yugoslavia. Thus, to quote a "Zastava" car as an example, the chassis was manufactured here, the engine there, and the tyres in a third republic of the country.
Another specific point was the existence of the so-called "payment bureaux," which collected all the bills and taxes from the citizens and paid part of this revenue directly to the Party.
But BiH remained a landlocked country, with no access to the sea, no highways, few railway lines and only two ports on the Sava River, Samac and Brcko.

5.1 The consequences of the war

The first consequence of the war was the heavy destruction of the industries and the port facilities on the Sava River. A lot of people became unemployed, as well as a great part of the combatants when the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP) was signed in Paris, Dec. 14, 1995. Furthermore, the move of the population from rural settlements to bigger cities also contributed to the rise in the unemployment figures. Small communities that used to live in self-sufficiency found themselves back in the suburbs of Sarajevo, Banja Luka or Mostar, without housing, jobs and schools for their children.
The first need was of course the reconstruction. For this aim, the International Community gave in almost six years more than 10 billion Konvertible Marks (5 billion €). The voluntary return of Displaced Persons and Refugees (DPRE) sped up the process, for a lot of returnees decided to re-build their pre-war homes by themselves. But the needs are still great, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated in June 2001 that there was still a gap of 22,400 between the on-going reconstruction and the needs.
For its part, the World Bank launched a programme called the Emergency Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (EDRP) to further the re-insertion of demobilised soldiers. Since the Armed Forces in BiH continue to be downsized, this help will be needed for the long-term.

5.2 The figures

Every three months, the Economic cell of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) publishes an Economic Newsletter where the main indicators are assessed (http://www.ohr.int/ohr-dept/econ/newsletter/). The last spreadsheet appears in the attached box. It shows the disparity between the two entities (Federation and Republika Srpska) in the areas of salaries, unemployment, and inflation. The only similar figures deal with deficit in foreign trade.
It partly explains why people are still reluctant to return to RS, where the standard of living is considerably lower than in Federation.
Moreover, one has to admit that the expenditures of the military budgets for the two entities are largely too high in regard to the actual threats. A readjustment of those budgets, associated with a common defence policy, could allow for more money to be spent in priority areas.
And finally, one of the biggest concerns in this country is corruption. The free market economy is something quite unknown in post-communist countries, and the tradition of the backhander is still strong. That's why OHR set up an Anti Fraud Department two years ago, dealing with all aspects of corruption, at whatever the level it is practised.

5.3 The way ahead

Is that to say that economic and social situations are frozen and that there is no chance of improvement? Certainly not, for a lot of things have recently changed for the better. Of course, it's always more difficult to go towards an unknown system than to come back to a previously well known one. During more than 50 years - about two generations -, citizens of this country only experienced war and communism, and sometimes both together. Such moves, however as normalisation of the dismantling of payment bureaux, Air Space co-ordination, privatisation, and the march for joining the Council of Europe are many examples of the efforts of the common institutions to reach western standards.
The HR himself adopted a new concept of "ownership," which means the progressive withdrawal of the international community and more responsibilities for the state institutions.
Another positive point was the creation, in July 1999, of the Stability Pact, which deals with all the countries of the Balkans through a regional approach. There is virtual unanimity, in South Eastern European countries, that the way forward is integration into Europe.
On June 27, 2001, a very significant event took place in Brussels. Ministers from Albania, BiH, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the FRY, Romania and Bulgaria - the so-called beneficiary countries of the Stability Pact - signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Trade Liberalisation. This MoU signals the commitment for these countries to liberalise 90 percent of mutual trade in value by the end of 2006. The MoU covers both the agricultural and industrial sectors.
But as long as BiH doesn't speak with a single voice in economy area, nationalistic points of view and entities' selfishness will hamper any improvements. In this domain also, the way ahead is the strengthening of the common institutions.

Chapter 6

Tourism and Culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina

by Thierry Domin
First published in
SFOR Informer#129, December 26, 2001

It is not, of course, the most appropriate time to speak about tourism, since snow now covers the greater part of the country. But leave, R&Rs or days off also exist during the winter season and there are therefore some opportunities to enjoy the country.

Nevertheless, before starting any trip to the locations mentioned in this article, you must always remember the two main dangers in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH): the roads, and the mines. Too bad for those, who want to take short cuts: there is a real risk in doing that, and it is not worth it.
First of all, BiH offers a large diversity of beautiful landscapes, from the small access to the Adriatic Sea in the South, to the beginning of the great Hungarian plain, in the North. In the middle, the Dinaric Alps surround small valleys and huge plateaux. But what a difference between the karstic landscape of the north western 'polje' (plateau) of the country and the high peaks at the Montenegrin border.

6.1 Nature

Water is present everywhere in BiH. Following a river from its source to its confluence with bigger ones (or to the Adriatic Sea for the Neretva) is always a very beautiful trip, allowing you to admire the different states of its course: sources of the Bosna River and the Buna River (with its famous dervish cloister). Onrushing, when lined by sheer cliffs, like the Sutjeska. Cascading, like in the towns of Kravica, Jajce, Kamenica, Drvar or Skakarac. And slower, when the valley gets wider and the river reaches its mouth. By the way, rafting is an activity that has developed in BiH, especially in the Bihac and Mostar areas.
In the course of your trip, you may discover famous or less well known lakes ('jezero'), such as the Bilecko, Matura, Vijaka, Sanicani, Busko, Plivsko, Deransko, Boracko and Ramsko; or the long and tortuous Jablanicko, to name only few. In fact, each municipality has its own lovely lake. All are beautiful in every season, and some are equipped for fishing, canoeing, sailing, or even water-skiing and jet skiing (preferably in the summer).

6.2 Historical monuments

Where there is water there is also life. No wonder communities settled from the very ancient ages, mostly for trade purposes, on banks and shores. The most ancient traces of life date back to the prehistoric ages. In the valley of Bregava River, they discovered rupestrian (rock) paintings, and even in Butmir there was a famous Neolithic site. Nothing new there!
Bridges were built for crossing the rivers or to expand the cities. Some of those bridges are renowned, such as the Visegrad one on the Drina River, or the one in Sarajevo where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914 or the Arskanagic Bridge over the Trebisnjica River. Some are very ancient, as the Rimski Most (Roman Bridge) south of Sarajevo. Unfortunately, the most famous of all, the Mostar's 'Stari Most' (Old Bridge) was destroyed during the war but, thanks to the Word Bank, it is now in the process of reconstruction.
You will also surprisingly discover other ancient monuments of the country: the cyclopean walls of Osanici (near Stolac), or the gravestones from the 12th and 13th centuries, from the Bogumilism period. On the Jurancon Route from Nevesinje to Ulog, such a cemetery is located in the middle of nowhere, with stones weighing several tonnes surrounded by short grass.
Castles ('dvor') are also noteworthy. Most of them were built between the 12th and the 15th centuries, i.e. before the arrival of the Turks. Such castles are located for instance in Ostrozac (near Bihac), Jajce, Gradacac, Bobovac (near Vares), Pocitelj or Doboj. Don't miss the opportunity of visiting the old town of Vranduk, with its middle-age fortifications.
Finally, the Austro-Hungarian era from 1878 to 1918 saw a new change in the style of the big towns. Viennese architecture is characterised by large windows, frontage decorations and lightly coloured walls. It's of course in bigger towns such as Sarajevo or Mostar that you will be able to admire the same buildings as in Vienna and Central Europe. All that was built after this period is devoid of any interest, except perhaps the two anti-fascist monuments of Sarajevo and Banja Luka where the main events of WW2 in former Yugoslavia are sculpted in low relief, just as if it was a cartoon strip

6.3 Religious monuments

The Ottoman Empire brought many changes to the aspect of the towns, some have kept the Turkish influence: dwelling houses, workshops, caravanserais (the "parking place" for the camels of the caravans). It also brought the Muslim religion, with its mosques and 'medersas' (Islamic schools). You will see a lot of examples of this kind of architecture, especially in Cantons 1, 3, 4 and of course in Sarajevo, where a walk in the old town ('stari grad') Bascarcija is very interesting. If travelling in the area of Glamoc, you will notice the specific turban-shaped tombstones of Ottoman dignitaries. Some of them have a diameter of more than a metre. The more high-ranking the people, the larger the turban.
Speaking about religions, you also will discover other cult buildings: Basilicas from the beginning of the Christian era, like Nereki, Klobuk, Dabravine, Majdan; Catholic Churches or chapels in Bosnian-Croat areas; and Orthodox Churches, with their typical bulb-shaped towers. And you will perhaps have the chance to visit one of those well-hidden monasteries, either Franciscan (Roman Catholic) or Orthodox, like in Gomionica. It is sometimes difficult to find, but the visitor is always welcome.
Don't forget the fourth religion of this country, the Jewish one, with the synagogues of Sarajevo and the Jewish cemetery of Stolac.

6.4 Culture and Gastronomy

Don't miss the opportunity to visit museums, such as the National Museum in Sarajevo and its two Millennium long expositions. Less well known is the museum of the Second World War, located in Jablanica which has a locomotive that took part in the Battle of the Neretva in front of it. Another interesting museum is located in Jajce.
And at the end of your drive, take a break and enjoy the local gastronomic delights. There are a lot of delicious Balkan specialities, halfway between the Occidental and Middle Eastern cooking. Don't miss 'cevapcici', 'burek', 'dolmes', 'bamia' and all sorts of oriental pastries. And drink (in moderation) a local beer or a glass of local wine. The best vineyards are located in the Herzegovina region, where southern sunshine allows for perfect grape ripening.
So, forget the camp and discover BiH. You will never forget it.

Glossary

Glossary of terms for Stabilisation FORce (SFOR)

Latest update 6 Feb 02

Abbreviation	Organisation or term	Details
ADP	Automatic data processing
AF	Armed Forces
AFIBH	Armed Forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina
AFSOUTH	Allied Forces South	http://www.afsouth.nato.int/
AFV	Armored Fighting Vehicle
AH	Attack Helicopter
ALA	Armament Limited by Agreement
AMIB	Allied Military Intelligence Battalion
AOR	Area of Responsibility
APOD	Air Port of Disembarkation
ATV	Alternative TV	Serbian regional TV channel
BAID		Bosniac Intelligence Service
BG	Battle Group
BiH or BH	Bosnia and Herzegovina
BiHSU	BiH Specialized unit
	Blic (Flash)	Serbian daily newspaper
CAFAO	Customs and Fiscal Assistance Office
CAS	Close Air Support
CCD	Croat Christian Democrats
CCL	Croatia Control Limited
CDP	Common Defence Policy
CG	The Contact Group
CIMIC	Civil-Military Co-operation
CIPS	Citizens’ Identification Protection System
COE	Council of Europe
COM	Council of Ministers
COMSFOR	Commander Stabilization FORce
COS	Chief of Staff
COY	Company
CRA	Communications Regulatory Agency
CRC	Crown and riot control
CS	Combat Support
CSBMs	Confidence and Security Building Measures
CSS	Combat Service Support
	Dani (Days)	Bosniak weekly newspaper http://www.bhdani.com/
DARE	Data Access and Retrieval for the Entities
	Dnevni Avaz (Daily voice)	Bosnian daily newspaper
	Dnevni List	Bosnian daily newspaper
DNZ	The Democratic People's Community
Abbreviation	Organisation or term	Comment	Top
DPA	Dayton Peace Agreement	www.nato.int/ifor/gfa
DPRE	Displaced Persons and Refugees
DPs	Displaced persons
EAF	Entity Armed Forces
EC	The European Council
EC	European Community
EIS	Entity Intelligence Service
EU	European Union
FbiH	The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
FOM	Freedom of Movement
FRY or SRJ	The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
FSR	Force Structure Review
FTV	Federation TV	Bosnian TV station with two channels
FYROM	The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	NATO/UN offficial name. Note that Turkey, eg, recognizes the name Republic of Macedonia
GDP	Gross Domestic Product
GDS	The Civil Democratic Party of BiH
GFAP	General Framework Agreement for Peace	www.nato.int/ifor/gfa
	Glas Srpski	Republica Srpska daily newspaper
	Globus (Globe)	Croatian weekly newspaper
GOF	Government Ordnance Factory
GSM	Global System for Mobile communications
	Hayat TV	TV station, also NTV Hayat http://www.ntvhayat.com/
HDZ	The Croatian Democratic Union of BiH
HNS	Croat National Assembly
HQ	Headquarters
HR	The High Representative
HRT		Croatian TV channel
	Hrvatska Rijec (Croatian Word)	Croatian weekly newspaper
HSP	The Croat Party of Rights
HSS	The Croat Peasants Party of BiH
HVIDRA	The Association of Croat War Veterans of the Homeland War
HVO	The Croat Defence Council
IC	International Community
ICAO	International Civil Aviation Organisation
ICCPR	International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
ICMP	International Commission for Missing Persons
ICTY	International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia	www.un.org/icty/
IEBL	Inter-Entity Boundary Line
Abbreviation	Organisation or term	Comment	Top
IFOR	Implementation FORce	In BiH before SFOR www.nato.int/ifor/ 20 Dec 95 – 20 Dec 96
IG	Inspector General
IJC	Independent Judicial Commission
IMC	Independent Media Commission
IMF	International Monetary Fund
IO	International Organization
IPPC	Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control
IPTF	International Police Task Force
IRC	International Red Cross
ISCBiH	International Standard Committee for BiH
ITP	Instructions to Parties
JCO	Joint Commission Observers
JFC	Joint Force Commander
JMA	Joint Military Affairs
JMC	Joint Military Commission
JNA	The Yugoslav People's Army
JSRB	Joint Restructuring Steering Board
	Jutarne Novine (Morning Papers)	Bosnian daily newspaper
	Jutarni List (Morning Paper)	Croatian daily newspaper
KCD	The Coalition for a Unified and Democratic BiH
KFOR	Kosovo FORce	http://www.nato.int/kfor/
KLA	Kosovo Liberation Army
KM	Convertible Mark
KMT	Key Military Task
KST	Key Supporting Task
LBO	The Liberal Bosniak Organisation
	Ljiljan (Lily)	Bosnian daily newspaper http://www.nippljiljan.com/
LNO	LiaisoN Officer
LP	Local Police
MAC	Mine Action Centre
MBO	The Moslem Bosnian Organisation
MCSS	Multinational Combat Service Support
MCT	Movement Control Team
MIP	Mandate Implementation Plan
MNB	Multinational Brigade
MND	Multinational Division
MND(N)	Multinational Division (North)	HQ in Tusla
MND(SE)	Multinational Division (South East)	HQ in Mostar
MND(SW)	Multinational Division (South West)	HQ in Banja Luka
MNTF	Multinational Task Force
MOD	Ministry of Defence
MOS	Bosnian Intelligence Service
MOU	Memorandum of Understanding
MP	Military Police
Abbreviation	Organisation or term	Comment	Top
MPRI	Military Professional Resources Incorporated
MSCU	Multinational (WSS) Site Control Unit
MSU	Multinational Specialised Unit
MYRM	Multi-Year Road Map
NAC	North Atlantic Council
	Nacional	Croatian weekly newspaper
NATO	North Atlantic Treaty Organisation	http://www.nato.int/
NDZ	The Democratic People's Union
	Nedeljjni Telegraf (Weekly Telegraph)	Serbian weekly newspaper
	Nezavisne Novine (Independent Paper)	Republika Srpska daily newspaper http://www.nezavisne.com/
NGO	Non-Governmental Organization
NHI	The New Croatian Initiative
	Nin	Serbian weekly newspaper
NTV Hayat	Independent TV Hayat	http://www.ntvhayat.com/ TV station in Sarajevo
NTV	Independent TV	There are a number of TV stations called NTV, including at least one Serbian regional TV station
OBN		Bosnian TV channel
OBS	Republica Srpska civilian intelligence service
OH	Observation Helicopter
OHR	Office of the High Representative	http://www.ohr.int/
OPAS	Operational Assistance Project
OSCE	Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe	http://www.oscebih.org/
	Oslobodjenje (Liberation)	Bosnian daily newspaper Note: There is also an RS weekly with the same name. http://www.oslobodjenje.com.ba/
	Oslobodjenje (Liberation)	Republica Serpska weekly newspaper Note: There is also a Bosnian daily with the same name.
OtH	Over-the-Horizon
PDSS	Persons with Designated Special Status
PELRP	Pilot Emergency Labour Redeployment Project
PfP	Partnership for Peace
PIC	Peace Implementation Council
PIFWCs	Persons indicted for War Crimes
PIO	Public Information Officer
PLIP	Property Law Implementation Plan
POD	Port of Disembarkation
	Politika (Politics)	Serbian daily newspaper
PSO	Peace Support Operation
Abbreviation	Organisation or term	Comment	Top
PSYOPS	Psychological Operations
QA	Quarterly Assessment
	Radio Herceg-Bosne	Croatian radio station
	Reporter	Republika Srpska weekly newspaper http://www.reportermagazin.com/
ROE	Rules of Engagement
RPOD	Rail Port of Disembarkation
RRTF	Return and Reconstruction Task Force
RS	Republika Srpska
RT-RS		Republika Srpska TV channel
RTV	RTV Sveti Georgije	Serbian TV channel
SAA	Stability and Association Agreement
SACEUR	Supreme Allied Commander in Europe
SBS	State Border Service
SCMM	Standing Committee for Military Matters
SD	Social Democrats	BiH party
SDA	Party for Democratic Action
SDC	Supreme Defence Council (RS)
SDP	Social Democratic Party of BiH
SDS	Serbian Democratic Party
Sec. Gen.	The Secretary General
SFOR	Stabilization FORce
SHAPE	Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe	http://www.shape.nato.int/
	Slobodna Dalmacia (Free Dalmacia)	Croatian daily newspaper
	Slobodna Bosna (Free Bosnia)	Bosnian weekly newspaper/magazine http://www.slobodna-bosna.ba/
SMART	SFOR Media Analysis in Real Time
SMR	Six-Month Review
SNS	Serbian People's Alliance and also the Bosnian Croat Intelligence Service
SNSD	Party of Independent Social Democrats
SOR	Statement Of Requirement
SPOD	Sea Port Of Disembarkation
SPRS	Socialist Party of Republika Srpska
SRF	Strategic Reaction Force
SRNA	Serb Republic News Agency
SRS		The Serb Radical Party of Republika Srpska
SRT	Serb Radio Television
	Start	Bosnian weekly newspaper
STAT	Special Training and Advisory Teams
TACP	Tactical Air Control Party
TCN	Troop Contributing Nation
Abbreviation	Organisation or term	Comment	Top
TRA	Telecommunications Regulation Agency
TV Kanal S		Serbian local TV in Pale
TV KISS	TV KISS (Kiseljak)
TV Simic		RS local TV channel in Banja Luka
UBS	Union of BiH Social Democrats
UH	Utility Helicopter
UN	United Nations	Http://www.un.org/
UNHCHR	United Nations High Commission for Human Rights	Http://www.unhchr.ch/
UNHCR	United Nations High Commission for Refugees	http://www.unhcr.ch/
UNMIBH	United Nations Mission in BiH	http://www.un.org/Depts/DPKO/Missions/unmibh/unmibh_body.htm
UNSCR	United Nations Security Council Resolution
	Vecerni List (Evening Paper)	Croatian daily newspaper
	Vecernje Novosti (Evening News)	Serbian daily newspaper
VF		Federation Army
VF-B		Bosnian element of the Federation Army
VF-H		Croat Element of the Federation Army
VJ		The Army of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
VRS	Army of Republika Srpska
	Walter	Bosnian weekly newspaper
WSS	Weapons Storage Site
ZL		The United List of Bosnia and Herzegovina