The Commission deplored on Thursday the cancellation of the authorities in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, of a planned conference by the Conference of European Rabbis but fell short of describing the decision as antisemitism.
The conference, which has been agreed to take place next week, was cancelled due to security reasons after reportedly local press had presented the conference as a solidarity event with Israel and a federal minister had claimed that it would legitimize Israel’s war in Gaza.
A Commission spokesperson commented that respect for freedom of religion and association is guaranteed in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitution. These principles are also enshrined in the European charter on fundamental rights and essential for any country that wants to join the EU.
““It’s therefore regrettable that the relevant authorities have withdrawn an invitation to the conference of rabbis to meet in Sarajevo,” he said. “The EU remains committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective and will continue to closely monitor the situation as regards fundamental rights and freedoms.”
“Sarajevo has proclaimed itself a ‘city of openness and tolerance’ for anyone but Jews,” commented Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis. “Chief rabbis from all over Europe were due to convene to discuss the most pressing issues facing European Jewish life today and matters of freedom of religion or belief. Shockingly, we have been made unwelcome.”
The European Commission hosted in April the Civil Society Forum in Brussels on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life amid a surge in antisemitism following 7 October 2023 where Jews in the EU are linked to Israel and blamed for the far-right Israeli government’s violation of international law in the war.
While there always has been antisemitism in EU Member States, the government’s action has fueled more antisemitism as the Israel – Hamas war dragged on with no end in sight and Israel lost the international legitimacy for the war and its actions.
“Combating antisemitism in the EU is a shared responsibility on both EU and Member State levels but the onus is in on the Member States where antisemitic incidents occur,” said Katharina von Schnurbein, the Commission’s coordinator on combatting antisemitism and fostering Jewish life in the EU, referring to the EU strategy on combatting antisemitism which was adopted in 2021.
A Commission spokesperson added that the Commission stands firmly against all forms of antisemitism. “Jewish people must feel safe across Europe. We will do everything in our power to guarantee this. We have the determination to act and the tools to proceed, based on the first ever EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, which is now more relevant than ever.”
Earlier this year, a Commission spokesperson stated that constitutional and electoral reform to implement the Sejdic-Finci case law of the European Court of Human Rights and to strengthen the integrity of elections is essential to improve trust in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s democratic institutions and their functionality.
In a ruling in 2009, the court confirmed the discriminatory nature of the electoral system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, preventing those not belonging to its “constituent peoples” (Bosniaks, Croats or Serbs) from standing for election. Adoption of constitutional reforms to ensure the political equality and non-discrimination of all citizens of the country is a key element of Bosnia and Herzegovina's path to the EU.
