The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, met with the Minister for European Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark, Marie Bjerre, who is on a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Konaković expressed his satisfaction with the continuous visits of friends from the member states of the European Union, emphasizing the importance of regularly informing allies about the current situation in BiH.
“Denmark and BiH have quality bilateral relations. Around 20,000 Bosnians and Herzegovinians live in Denmark, who form a strong and connected community, which additionally contributes to the strengthening of mutual relations. Denmark has provided us with significant support on our European path and opened an embassy in BiH, which is a clear signal of their commitment,” the Minister said.
He particularly emphasized the importance of the moment in which Minister Bjerre is staying in BiH.
“The visit comes on the eve of the Danish presidency of the Council of the European Union, and informing our EU partners about the situation in BiH is crucial for our EU partners to understand the complexity of the context we are in,” Konaković added.
According to him, BiH is in a situation full of opportunities and chances.
“On the one hand, we have the EU’s offer through the Growth Plan and the beginning of the integration of our market into the European space, which is a huge chance for Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, on the other hand, we are faced with threats that have not been seen since the Dayton Peace Agreement to this day. Russia’s malign influence through Milorad Dodik and his policies represents a direct threat to BiH institutions, as well as to economic development and stability,” he warned.
He added that it is often difficult for domestic and foreign partners to understand the complexity of the BiH political system.
“If we were deciding on behalf of the citizens of BiH, 90% of politicians would support what the EU is asking of us tomorrow, elect a chief negotiator and start fulfilling the tasks. However, at the very end of that process, Dodik is blocking everything. This is not an easy solution, but I hope that our friends from the EU will recognize this reality,” Konaković concluded.
