Bosnia and Herzegovina’s integration into the European Union is the most important foreign policy priority, said BiH Defense Minister Sifet Podzic during a meeting with EU Military Committee Chairman General Claudio Graciano, adding that BiH is part of a common foreign and security policy – CSDP.
Podzic pointed out that EU support is crucial for BiH, especially in the field of maintaining a stable and secure environment within the “Altea EUFOR” mission in BiH, and expressed hope that opportunities will be opened for new and stronger cooperation with EU institutions in the future. period, the BiH Ministry of Defense announced.
The meeting emphasized the importance of the signed Agreement between BiH and the EU on establishing a framework for BiH’s participation in EU crisis management operations, based on which the BiH Armed Forces have been participating in the EU Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA) since 2017. there were now 24 members of the BiH Armed Forces.
Podzic especially thanked General Grazian for the support provided by the EU and EUFOR in the mine action process and informed him that through EUFOR they sent a verbal note to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to help the demining process from the EU Peace Fund, they added. statement.
Podzic pointed out the insufficient budget for defense, which has a negative effect on the realization of the undertaken obligations in connection with the implementation of activities from the document “BiH Defense Review” and the initiation of the process of modernization of the BiH Armed Forces.
General Graciano expressed strong support for BiH and the reform processes, and conveyed the message of support for the Council of the European Union of BiH as a single and sovereign country.
He expressed expectations that the “Altea” mission in BiH will continue, in which the irreplaceable role of EUFOR forces is irreplaceable.
Graziano encouraged the officials of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of BiH to use the presence of EUFOR in BiH, and to further strengthen the capacities of the Armed Forces through training programs and exercises that will be used both internally and in peace support missions in the world.
General Graziano leads the affairs of the EU Military Committee and is a military adviser to the Union’s foreign and security policy representatives on all military matters and is the primary point of contact with EU military commanders.
