Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)Elmedin Konakovic met yesterday, December 4th 2025, in Vienna, on the margins of the 32nd OSCE Ministerial Council session, in separate meetings with the Minister of State of the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty; the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence in the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of Defence of Ireland, Thomas Byrne; and the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Pere Joan Pons Sampietro.
During their meeting, Ministers Konakovic and Doughty confirmed the strong and friendly relations between BiH and the UK, based on intensive political dialogue and cooperation. Minister Konakovic thanked the UK for its continued support to BiH during a challenging period, emphasising the importance of the UK’s commitment to strengthening state institutions, the rule of law, and the judiciary in our country. He pointed out that BiHremains firmly committed to regional cooperation and the Berlin Process as a key framework accompanying the European path of the Western Balkan countries.
At the meeting with Irish Minister of State Thomas Byrne, Minister Konakovic warmly welcomed the opening of the Embassy of Ireland in Sarajevo in August this year, noting that this important step opens space for further improvement of bilateral relations, precisely in the year when the two countries mark 30 years of diplomatic ties. The interlocutors expressed readiness to intensify political dialogue, and Minister Byrne announced an official visit to BiH in February 2026, within the framework of Ireland’s preparations for its Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU). Minister Konakovic thanked Ireland for its increased engagement in the Western Balkans, especially in light of the announcement that EU enlargement will be one of the priorities of the Irish presidency.
During the meeting with the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Pere Joan Pons Sampietro, Minister Konakovic expressed gratitude to the OSCE and its institutions for their continued support to democratisation, the rule of law, the protection of human rights, and security sector reform in BiH. He emphasised that BiH and the OSCE Mission to BiH are marking 30 years of successful cooperation this year. The meeting also addressed current security challenges. Minister Konakovic reiterated BiH‘s full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and warned of the growing malign foreign influence in the region, particularly from Russia, which undermines the stability of the Western Balkans. He repeated BiH’s commitment to the European path as well as to regional cooperation.
