The Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Luigi Soreca presented today the European Commission’s 2024 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers Borjana Kristo.
As every year, the 2024 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina is the result of a comprehensive analysis of the state of play of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s alignment with the EU’s membership criteria. This is the first report since Bosnia and Herzegovina received a green light for accession negotiations. Particular attention is therefore placed on what is known as the “fundamentals”, including the functioning of democratic institutions, the rule of law and public administration. These have a central importance to the EU accession process as they are the first cluster of the accession negotiations to open and the last to close.
“We urge decision makers in Bosnia and Herzegovina to use this report as intended – as a constructive guide to be followed up with action that enables progress on the EU path. The EU has made clear that enlargement is a priority and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s place is in the EU. This encouragement at the highest level, including regular visits from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has led to certain tangible results in the past two years, with a consequence that the leaders of the EU member states in the European Council gave a green light for accession negotiations in March this year,” said Ambassador Soreca.
Ambassador Soreca underlined however to Chairwoman Kristo that following the green light for accession negotiations in March, there was little progress on the EU path, stating, “Since March, reforms have stalled. Indeed, the reforms have not just stalled, but we have also seen periods marked by divisive rhetoric and actions, instead of the dialogue, negotiation and compromise that are crucial for a better future. Any action that is unconstructive or undermines the fundamental values that the EU was founded on, also undermines the prospect of an EU future.”
Noting that the negotiation framework for Bosnia and Herzegovina could be adopted at the European Council in December if Bosnia and Herzegovina takes the relevant steps before then, Ambassador Soreca stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina has demonstrated a capacity to deliver when there is political will. “Since the recent elections, I see certain signs of a return to a positive dynamic, and I hope that this will be sustained. On Monday, the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina signed an agreement on Eurojust, enabling strengthened cross-border judicial cooperation once the agreement is ratified. The negotiations for a Frontex Status Agreement are also in an advanced stage. We have seen progress on mobility agreements as part of the Berlin Process. We have also seen the work of the House of Peoples unblocked, which means that the next few weeks can be used productively to adopt legislation”.
“I urge political leaders not to waste this time,” concluded Ambassador Soreca, reiterating, “You have my firm commitment and that of my office that we will support you”.
