Bosnians Drag Govt's Moon Plans Down to Earth

Bosnia and Herzegovina may not yet control its own skies, but that has not stopped its government, the Council of Ministers, on Wednesday from discussing exploration of the universe, including the Moon and other celestial bodies.

The agenda of Wednesday's government session included a draft outline for Bosnia's accession to the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, better known as the "Outer Space Treaty".

This topic on the agenda of a state that the UN expects to lose half of its population in the next 80 years has drawn predictable mockery on social networks.

"Bosnia enters the space race...", "We should first send a burek [traditional pie] ...", and, "Houston we have a problem...", were just some of the comments.

"This is completely normal, since we in Bosnia build the world's best birch brooms with a large range. The real question is who will be the first astronaut to 'Broom it' to the Moon. The three-headed president would be the best choice," wrote "Astronaut", referring to the three-man state presidency.

"I agree, we should send our politicians... but with a one-way ticket," Zeljko jested.
However, "Neil Armstrong" added: "If we do that, war will break out on the Moon within a week".

The treaty would permit Bosnia to send a man into space, while it also clearly prohibits the construction of military bases in the Earth's orbit.

The formal proposer of the draft outline on the Outer Space Treaty is the Ministry of Transport and Communication.

"They cannot solve things on Earth, yet they deal with, and go into, space," Muhamed Muminovic, chairman of the Orion Astronomical Society from Sarajevo...