The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, and the Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, at today’s meeting in Sarajevo once again confirmed and noted the importance of the OSCE mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Konaković said that today, “at the time of aggression against Ukraine, the mission of the OSCE is even more important”, thanking Osmani for the energy he invests to preserve the stability of this organization and its full functionality in this difficult time.
“We talked about how hard-working people from the mission often solve problems on the ground, through good communication and cooperation with local communities, with cantonal and entity governments, and there projects are very measurable and visible,” Konaković said.
He also thanked for the approach and detection of priorities when it comes to the countries of the Western Balkans.
“That kind of cooperation and support is very important, because the countries of the Western Balkans or Southeastern Europe, as I like to say, in this momentum in which they have a chance to join the European family more quickly, need every possible form of support. The OSCE is an organization that really provides it to us Konaković said.
He added that they also opened an important topic in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“It concerns the regularity of elections, a topic that constantly bothers us every election cycle. I think we can make some progress together when it comes to essential changes in the law and technical solutions within the functioning of the Central Election Commission that can be much better than today they are,” Konaković said.
The Chairman of the OSCE and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, stated that the fight against corruption is at the top of the priority list of his presidency.
After the meeting with BiH Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković, Osmani pointed out that “the fight against corruption is a key priority for the region” and said that the OSCE, through the work of its mission, played an important role in drafting key regulations in that sphere.
“Aware of its great importance, we put the fight against corruption at the top of the priority list of our presidency. The OSCE will continue to provide support to the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their efforts to ensure the effective implementation of existing laws and regulations on the fight against corruption and the punishment of those who commit acts of corruption,” he said.
Osmani stated that it is a privilege for him to stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the capacity of OSCE chairman. He pointed out that he had a positive and constructive meeting with Konaković, where they discussed bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia, but the focus was on the OSCE.
“We also discussed the current priorities of our organization, as well as the cooperation between the OSCE and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is the country that hosts one of the largest OSCE operations in the field. As you know, the OSCE is going through a period filled with numerous challenges. Principles of the Helsinki Final Document they have been collapsed by the war that Russia is waging in Ukraine. However, we are not ready to surrender. On the contrary, during our presidency we are determined to preserve our common values and obligations, while looking for opportunities to re-establish dialogue, which is the fundamental backbone of our cooperation,” he said. is the Ottomans.
He added that the consequences of the war are very serious and represent a growing problem for all states and their peoples, which, he said, is another reason to “achieve even more intensive cooperation and seek a coordinated regional response.”
“All this applies equally to our region – Southeastern Europe. Years ago, we set out on the path of reforms and development. It is very important that the difficult years of our past remain behind us and that we turn our common gaze towards the future, together and united. To that end , I reiterated in my conversation with Minister Konaković how important it is for Bosnia and Herzegovina to start an effective dialogue of trust, bridge differences and find a way to overcome disagreements and overcome challenges,” Osmani said.
He added that the cooperation between Bosa and Herzegovina and the OSCE led to the emergence of numerous good examples that can be applied elsewhere and thus contribute to the realization of important public policies and processes.
“The OSCE will continue to support and promote trust-building activities, such as we saw in the area of Majevica, where the story of successful inter-entity cooperation of five municipal mayors, who overcame the legacy of the war and are now building bridges and implementing projects aimed at strengthening economic development for the benefit of the residents, was born of their communities,” said Osmani.
In the end, he said that, guided by common values and obligations, he would work to promote peace and stability during the OSCE chairmanship.
