Ilhana Vele Blog

Foreign Assistance Loans: A Case study of Bosnia and Herzegovina

January 14, 2018

The region of Southern Balkan peninsula has never been completely stable. Former Yugoslavia was not able to avoid the invasion from the Turks and Austrians, World Wars, or various internal civil wars and divisions. After three bloody years, Bosnia and Herzegovina claimed its independence from Socialist Yugoslavia on March 1, 1992. This landlocked country with only 20 kilometers of coastline of Adriatic Sea borders with Croatia on north, west, and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast. The civil war in the 1990’s devastated the landscape of this country and the previous flourishing economy (Hoare 2007). With the signing of the peace treaty billions were pledged to rebuild and restart the economy of this tiny European country.

Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the U.S.

January 7 2018

It is ironic to keep xenophobia a norm in a land of immigrants. Although favoring some immigrants more than others, the United State’s borders have always been open to those fleeing war and prosecution. The first restrictions on immigration were to limit the ‘undesirables’ based on nationality, race, and religion. But later, these policies shifted the focus on accepting skilled immigrants regardless of their nationality. The president has the responsibility to protect the United States against foreign terrorists, but by doing so should not violate the rights of the citizens of its country. Trump’s executive orders were used to promote dangerous rhetoric of pre-WW II restrictions on foreign visitors in the name of national security. These policies were eventually revoked with harmful consequences to our foreign relations, economy, and national security. I propose a broader visa/immigration scrutiny for all terrorist prone nations (including the ones where the president operates business in, with no exceptions), to ensure the first amendment rights of people is protected.

Donald Trump's Immigration Policies Will Not Incite American Bosnians To Vote Pro-Trump

September 5, 2016

I came across two articles this weekend that dealt with immigration as an issue in the current U.S. presidential campaign. The first article written by The New York Time “Explaining What Donald Trump Wants to Do Now on Immigration” was published on September 1^st 2016, discusses how Donald Trumps' immigration policy is changing to be more like the one led by president Obama. In the second article published by The Guardian on September 6th 2016 talks about the Bosnian population within Missouri possibly deciding which presidential candidate could win that state. Donald Trump will never win the Bosnian American vote if he focuses his campaign on hate speech and strict immigration policies.

The decline of Industry, rise of Agronomy, and its affect on future generations in Bosnia

May 17, 2016

Before the break up of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and more particularly the Vrbas valley in Central Bosnia was an industrial center. Hairs Gekic and Aida Bidzan wrote about the change of industry in this area during the 20^th century. In 1961 there were six main industries in the upper Vrbas valley. In 1987 these industries employed 8,891 people. Textile, food, leather, footwear, chemical and electrical industries diversified the regions economy. “Slavko Rodic” company in 1991 employed 4000 workers. The Vrbas valley was a thriving and prosperous region of Central Canton in Bosnia.

Arab Investment in Bosnia

Dec 17, 2015

The recent Economist’s article states that majority of foreign investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina are coming from the politically unstable Middle East. For the last twenty years Bosnia has had struggled to recover its economy from the war in the 1990's. This investment is both a blessing and a curse for Bosnia.

Americans should be concerned

Dec 11, 2020

Americans should be concerned about political, economic,and social developments in faraway countries. Globalization makes us interconnected and depended upon one another.

Why should Bosnia join EU?

Dec 11, 2020

Today, twenty years after the war many of Bosnian's Yugoslavian counterparts have worked their way into becoming members of the European Union (EU). Having a weak economy and poor leadership is delaying Bosnian's path to the EU.

In response to the Independent's article: Bosnia Herzegovina files formal application to join EU

February 15 2016

Today, on February 15^th 2016 Bosnia has officially submitted its application to become a member of the European Union. In the article published in Independent it is highlighted that Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have high chances on becoming an EU member any time soon. “At an event in Brussels, diplomats indicated Sarajevo may not have met all the conditions required to submit an application”. Bosnia is the creation of the EU and a failure of Bosnia meeting the criteria can be considered the fault of the EU itself.

My thoughts on recent political and socio-economic situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Foreign Assistance Loans: A Case study of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the U.S.

Donald Trump's Immigration Policies Will Not Incite American Bosnians To Vote Pro-Trump

The decline of Industry, rise of Agronomy, and its affect on future generations in Bosnia

Arab Investment in Bosnia

Americans should be concerned

Why should Bosnia join EU?

In response to the Independent's article: Bosnia Herzegovina files formal application to join EU

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