The BiH Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ana Trišić-Babić, at the invitation of the Irish Minister for Euroepan Affairs, Lucinda Creighton, stayed in Dublin the 20th and 21st of January as part of an informal meeting of ministers with the State Secretary for Europan Affairs, member states of the European Union.
The main topic of the meeting was democratic legitimacy and accountability in light of the need to secure the support of the population in making far-reaching decisions in order to confront the economic and financial crisis.
Expressing belief that the dynamics of the enlargement process should be maintained, which is at the center of the European project as a way to secure peace and stability on our continent, Minister Creighton organized a separate meeting with potential EU member candidate countries, which was attended by the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Fule.
In his address, Commissioner Fule pointed out to the current support of the European Commission through the help of the IPA, overcoming the effects of the economic crisis, saying that problems in the Western Balkan states strenghtened the internal situation and in paricular severe unemployment.
Fule spoke of the need in candidate states and potential EU candidate states to monitor everything that is happening and being decided in the EU.
The European Commission will introduce new elements into its relations with states that are included in the enlargement process.
This will gradually increase economic control to strenghten medium-term planning and preparation for a quality budget, and a new dialogue about employment policies and social programs will be established. This will be supported by the IPA program.
The European Commission intends to make greater use of an investment framework for the Western Balkans for the development of transport infrastructure, the energy sector, small and medium-sized enterprises, and to emphasize regional economic cooperation as the key to economic renewal.
Along with the economic reforms, Fule spoke again of the importance of the rule of law, the fight against organized crime and corruption, which the EU escecially monitors.
Deputy Minister Ana Trišić-Babić thanked Minister Creighton and Commisioner Fule for the demonstration of support for EU enlargement and especially for the support to BiH, as well as the support for the introduction of dialogue between the European Commission with BiH in new areas, which indicates a positive experience in the areas where such cooperation was earlier established.
Conditions for BiH’s progress towards EU integration are known, said Deputy Minister Trišić-Babić, and she stressed that expectations for reinforced EU presence and involvement will foster an agreement and implementation.
