The Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Denis Bećirović, spoke with the Speaker of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sweden, Andreas Norlen, as part of his official visit to the Kingdom of Sweden.
During the talks in the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sweden (Riksdag), the interlocutors emphasized that the relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Kingdom of Sweden are very good and friendly. The importance of the role of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening the ties between the two countries was emphasized, as well as the importance of continuous political and financial assistance from the Kingdom of Sweden.
Bećirović expressed his gratitude for the support for the process of integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the EU and NATO. He pointed out that Sweden, as a country from the group of the largest and most important bilateral donors, was involved from the very beginning in the process of reconstruction and development of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its approach to the EU and NATO. He said that cooperation with the new members of NATO is very important for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of security and stability in Southeast Europe.
The President of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sweden, Andreas Norlen, said that Sweden supports the sustainable development and integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the EU and NATO in the long term. He expressed a clear determination to support the EU enlargement policy as the primary instrument of the EU with the aim of strengthening security, democracy and progress in Europe.
Among other things, the intention was expressed to strengthen the already existing cooperation between the two countries in areas such as the rule of law, human rights, media freedom, gender equality and the environment.
Also, Norlen said that the Swedish parliamentarians are ready to contribute to strengthening the cooperation between the two countries. He said that parliamentarians are well aware of the political and economic challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that the Friendship Group with the Western Balkans, which operates in the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sweden, contributes to this.
Regarding the improvement of bilateral economic cooperation, considering that the Swedish market is one of the important markets of interest for Bosnian companies, the need for stronger connection between the businessmen of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sweden was expressed.
It was established that BiH the diaspora is well integrated into Swedish society and that it represents an important link in strengthening the ties between the two countries. The signed Agreement on Dual Citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sweden, where more than 130,000 citizens of Bosnian origin live, contributed to this.
Bećirović emphasized that the BiH diaspora represents an important bridge of cooperation between the two countries.
