Over 80 young people from more than 15 different political parties participated in four cohorts of the ‘Learn, Think, and Act!’ training for youth political leaders (UMiDp), organized by the Institute for Youth Development KULT. Young politicians who completed this training have different needs for further competence development compared to those who are just starting their political careers.
The event “EU dialogue of young politicians in BiH” brought together young politicians from 12 parties who have completed the “Learn, Think and Act!” training for youth political leaders (UMiDp) and who are ready to work independently or in groups on implementing initiatives related to the EU priorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and improving the position of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The participants had the opportunity to learn more about the EU priorities for BiH and propose initiatives. The proposed initiatives will potentially be supported by the Institute for Youth Development KULT, as well as other political and social actors.
The young politicians also discussed the practical implications of BiH’s candidate status and the EU’s 14 priorities for BiH. Through group work and discussions, young politicians analyzed the current situation in BiH, examining the progress, stagnation, or shifts in priorities from their adoption to the present day.
“I think the fourteen priorities of the EU are very important, primarily because of internal relations and prosperity that can benefit all citizens. At first glance, they seem very abstract and broad, but when you get into the essence, you see that implementing these priorities can improve the quality of life, economic standard, trust in institutions, and the overall social environment by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, our politicians are not committed enough to these priorities, nor do they talk about them enough in public. That is why this event is all the more important – young politicians must understand their importance and find a way to make a difference. I myself am working on the recommendation regarding public administration reform in the economic sphere, specifically the reform of the internship system, which has proven to be dysfunctional, especially from the perspective of young people. The goal is to introduce the positive EU practice where employers of young people in their first job are not required to pay salary contributions, only net amounts”, said Boris Luketa, representative of SDS.
The event included a workshop that saw participants working together to identify which priorities are most important to them as young politicians, discuss their reasons, and learn how to launch an initiative to work towards one of these priorities. Working in groups, they outlined specific steps for initiatives they plan to launch, collectively or individually, within the next 6 to 12 months.
“This gathering of alumni from the Institute’s UMiDp program was an excellent opportunity for young people to discuss what will soon become key topics for all politicians. The European Union has outlined 14 priorities for Bi, which we have been unable to implement for the past four years. Today, we discussed how we, as young people, can raise and prioritize the issues that matter to us by meeting these priorities. I think this is our chance to improve the status of young people in many areas, from employment to education. That’s why it’s so important for young people to get involved in this process, exerting pressure on the public to prioritize issues important to youth in the new governments’ agendas,” said Belmin Zukan, a representative in the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Antonija Banožić, a representative of HDZ 1990 in the Assembly of the West Herzegovina Canton, shared how important the Institute’s UMiDp training was for her and her work: “I completed the ‘Learn, Think and Act’ training for young political leaders many years ago, but the support and presence of the Institute’s team has been with me ever since. That’s why I’m delighted we’ve formed this Alumni group, which will allow us to design and implement initiatives together. Our initiatives are guided by the 14 EU priorities for BiH’s accession to the EU. It’s so important for us to work together on building our country’s future in the EU.”
“We began this event by demystifying the 14 priorities and then formed groups to work on initiatives related to the rule of law, human rights, and public administration reform. After completing the UMiDp training, I am pleased to have this new chance to participate in creating initiatives with other alumni. Working with intelligent and progressive young people dedicated to building a better future for our homeland is especially rewarding. I am confident that our initiatives will gain support from both young people and the broader public because we all need to work together for a European BiH,” said Mubina Šašić, a member of the Platform for Progress.
Mate Lončar, a member of HDZ BiH, says that young politicians are keen to address this issue and contribute to creating better opportunities for young people in BiH: “I’ve always loved meeting new people and hearing their opinions, and I am particularly happy to see people I haven’t seen in several years. I was glad to hear that they’re successful in their work. Despite our different views on certain issues, it’s important that we engage in dialogue and find common ground so we can create better conditions for future generations of young people.
BiH is currently navigating a series of challenges associated with being a country in transition and has recently been granted candidate status for European Union membership. Key priorities include a functional democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights, and public administration reform – foundations of the EU accession process.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT extends its gratitude to all event participants and remains committed to supporting young politicians in their efforts to improve the lives of youth in BiH.
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