The Chairperson of the BiH Council of Ministers, Borjana Krišto, stated that she is convinced that with the current dynamics of the work of the Council of Ministers, negotiations for EU membership should be opened at the end of this year.
After the fifth meeting of the Council for Stabilization and Association between BiH and the EU in Brussels, Krishtova stated that today’s meeting would not have happened if the coordination mechanism had not functioned last week, in accordance with the constitutional competences, at which positions for today’s meeting were agreed upon.
“With all the numerous challenges that BiH has as a complex country, I expressed my personal opinion that dialogue, mutual respect, consensus and respect for constitutional competences lead to progress in fulfilling the reform processes, i.e. achieving the goal towards the EU,” Kristo said at the press conference.
Assessing that an open and constructive dialogue of partners from EU and BiH institutions was held at the meeting, Kristo specified that numerous topics on BiH’s European path, the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, and issues of pre-accession assistance were open.
“We considered everything that is the focus of the work of the Council of Ministers in the period of fulfilling the 14 key priorities,” she pointed out.
Kristo stated that at the meeting, she informed high EU officials in detail what BiH has done at this moment when it comes to its European path and the fulfillment of 14 priorities from the opinion of the European Commission, and that BiH and its institutions have received support for these efforts.
“We still have a lot to do, the initiatives and decisions we adopted need to come to life, we need to implement them,” concluded the chairwoman of the Council of Ministers.
Borrell: In the last year, BiH has gone from a political impasse to a political opportunity
EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Jozep Borrell said that in the last year, Bosnia and Herzegovina has gone from a political impasse to a political opportunity or chance.
After the fifth meeting of the Stabilization and Association Council, he said that these opportunities should now be used, that is, that incentive, and decisive reforms should be carried out in order for BiH to progress, noting that this is “the highest level of institutional engagement between the EU and BiH”.
“It is an opportunity to analyze the work done so far with the goal of BiH’s membership in the EU and what still needs to be done. We are meeting in this format after two years. Last year it was not possible due to the political blockade of the country, but today we succeeded because BiH went from a political impasse to a political opportunity, and that sentence sums up what happened in the past year.
He pointed out that there are serious challenges.
“The proposals from the RS, as far as I understand them, are contrary to the EU and isolate that entity even more. The undermining of the constitutional order must end immediately. If it continues, it could have serious consequences.”
Borrell added that the EU wants a single sovereign BiH, but he stressed that all business or work must be done within BiH, not from Brussels.
He praised the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its chairwoman Borjana Krišto for keeping the dialogue open.
Varhelyi: Brussels considers Bosnia and Herzegovina to be a necessary part of the EU
Brussels considers Bosnia and Herzegovina to be a necessary part of the EU, said European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi.
He said at the press conference after the meeting of the Stabilization and Association Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU in Brussels that it is necessary for Brussels to send a clear message and offer both the people and Bosnia and Herzegovina the opportunity to be part of the bloc.
Varhelyi praised the outcome of the elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the formation of the government “with a speed that has not been seen before”, but he emphasized that it is time to fulfill key priorities.
He emphasized that the entire process on BiH’s path to the EU is measured by performance and results, noting that now the expectations of both the Union and the public in BiH are higher, after receiving the status of a candidate for membership in the bloc.
Varhelyi announced the publication of the annual EU enlargement package in October, saying that “only what has already been fulfilled can be included in that package”.
“It is necessary to double the work and focus on what moves Bosnia and Herzegovina forward. The European agenda is the only one that can bring stability and benefit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, its people and business,” added Varhelyi.
