Ashton: I Call on Political Leaders to Listen, Take Responsibility and Act Now

I thought it was very important to come to B&H to speak with institutional leaders and members of civil society in person, said The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Police and Vice-President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton to journalists in Sarajevo.

She added that this reflects the fact that EU integration requires the support of the entire society and has to be a priority of all in B&H.

‘’Let me repeat what I have already said, and I hope that you know, that the EU is fully committed to you and your European perspective. We wish to see a unified, stable, prosperous, multiethnic B&H that will take a place in the EU, where it rightfully belongs’’, said High Representative Ashton.

She said that ‘’we are determined to stand with the citizens of this country and to help them realize their aspirations.

‘’Citizens have clearly expressed their ambitions and their fears. What they want is a chance to be employed, an economy that develops and progresses, they want a system of social protection that functions, they want the rule of law and an efficient judicial system’’, said Ashton.

According to her, the key to all these ambitions lies in the hands of the leaders of B&H.

‘’In order to meet these reasonable expectations, leaders have to go beyond ethnic divisions and to begin to deal with the interests of all citizens of this beautiful country’’, said Ashton.

She added that she is confident that the leaders need to focus on economic reform, a system of social protection, strengthening the rule of law and human rights.

(Source: Fena)