The online survey “Protests in Bosnia and Herzegovina?” (7 February 2014, a convenience sample of 208 respondents) shows strong interest in events in BiH and a prevailing interpretation that the protests are primarily the product of social dissatisfaction rather than external influence. As many as 85.57% of respondents say they follow the protests (27.40% intensively, 57.21% not intensively), while 14.42% do not follow them, and only 0.96% say they participate in the protests.
When asked about the causes, 53.24% choose citizens’ dissatisfaction, far ahead of the explanation of “influence from the West” (14.68%). Other offered causes are far less represented: conflict among ruling parties 7.85%, “influence of tycoons” 5.12%, Islamic State 5.80%, and Islamic fundamentalists/terrorists 4.10%, while the influence of the opposition appears at the same percentage (4.10%). Influence from Republika Srpska (2.05%), Serbia (1.02%), and other answers (2.05%) remain marginal, suggesting that the dominant perception sees the protests as “bottom-up,” rather than a political or geopolitical project.
Accordingly, most respondents support the protests (53.85%), while a third are neutral (31.25%), and 14.90% do not support them. However, when asked about effects, enthusiasm fades: 39.42% do not believe the protests will lead to changes, 36.06% believe they will, and as many as 24.52% have no opinion. In other words, support exists, but alongside a strong layer of scepticism about the political “effectiveness” of such pressure.
A comparison with Serbia is also interesting: most believe similar protests in Serbia are possible (59.13%) and necessary (56.25%), and half say they would personally support them (51.92%). Still, about a quarter across all three questions remain undecided or have no opinion, indicating caution toward protest as a method.
The sample is predominantly male (55.29%), the median age is 34, and the largest share of respondents are from Belgrade (centre 23.56%) and various parts of Serbia, with a smaller share from BiH and the wider region. Respondents mostly rate their material situation as average or poor (personal: 36.41% average, 35.44% poor), and by status the most represented are those unemployed for more than six months (25%) and those employed in the private sector (24.04%).
Methodological note: this was an online survey; the results reflect the views of participants and do not constitute a representative sample of the population.