Determinants of the formation and current state of the Polish National Minority in Bosnia and Hercegovina

The aim of this article is to analyze the factors of migration of representatives of the Polish nation to the area of today’s Bosnia and Herzegovina, to present the main assumptions of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s policy towards national minorities and to analyze the spatial distribution of the Polish diaspora. The adopted time limit covers the period from 1991 to 2021. Quantitative research methods were also used. The source of the statistics is the Statistical Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result of the research, it was clarified that the regulations adopted in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of cooperation with national minorities correspond to European standards. However, their use is a problem. The current Polish diaspora in Bosnia and Herzegovina is largely migration from the beginning of the second half of the 20th century, concentrated in six main regions gathering over 71% of the total population. This fact may contribute to the formulation of a strategy to support the Polish diaspora and promote Polish in this area.