The delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is traveling next week to the Berlin Process summit in London with an uncomfortable label, as it is the only country in the region that has not yet enabled the free movement of citizens in the Western Balkans.
The reason is the opposition of politicians from the entity Republika Srpska (RS) to the ratification of the agreement on mutual recognition of ID cards with Kosovo. Although all the countries of the region, including Serbia, have already allowed border crossing with Kosovo using only an ID card, in BiH, this agreement has not yet entered into force.
Cvijanovic placed a veto
The agreement, signed back in 2022, was blocked after a member of the Presidency of BiH, Zeljka Cvijanovic, placed a veto, and the National Assembly of RS (NARS) supported that move.
BiH still remains outside the framework of the common regional market – a key part of the Berlin Process, through which the European Union (EU) seeks to strengthen cooperation and connectivity of Western Balkan countries.
Paradoxically, while BiH is blocking the agreement, Kosovo has unilaterally allowed BiH citizens to enter without visas from January 1st, 2025.
Analysts warn that political blockades in BiH not only hinder regional cooperation but also affect the citizens themselves, who, due to unresolved political issues, still do not enjoy the benefits of free movement in the region.
Berlin Process
The Berlin Process is an initiative of the EU launched in 2014 with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and integration of the Western Balkan countries. It includes six countries: Albania, BiH, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, and enables cooperation in the fields of economy, infrastructure, education, and free movement.
The process also brings together the EU and the United Kingdom (UK), creating a platform for political dialogue and regional projects.
