The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Josip Brkić, met today with the State Secretary for European Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Portugal, Tiago Antunes.
Current European and international issues were discussed at the meeting, with an emphasis on European integration of BiH, EU enlargement, reform processes and security challenges due to Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Deputy Minister Brkić informed the interlocutor about the current political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He expressed his gratitude for the continued focus of the European Union on the Western Balkans because the European integration of this region is crucial today, more than ever, for a stable and secure European future at a time when we are facing new global challenges.
He pointed out that it is quite clear that after acquiring the status of a candidate for EU membership, Bosnia and Herzegovina must continue with the accelerated process of integration and reform processes. He emphasized that the work of the BiH Council of Ministers in the first 100 days of work is the best indicator that we want to progress and speed up the path to the European Union by fulfilling 14 key priorities from the Opinion of the European Commission.
As a reason for optimism, he stated that yesterday the BiH Council of Ministers unanimously adopted a series of very important decisions concerning legal projects, decisions and priorities related to the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He expressed the hope that the next report of the European Commission on the progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be positive so that our country, before the elections for the European Parliament next year, can start a new phase, negotiations, in the process of joining the European Union.
When it comes to the alignment of the foreign policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the common foreign and security policy of the European Union, Deputy Brkić emphasized that since the beginning of this year, the percentage of alignment has been 100%.
As the chairman of the Commission for cooperation with NATO BiH, the deputy also informed about the cooperation activities of Bosnia and Herzegovina with NATO, stressing that our country remains committed to intensifying cooperation and partnership.
The State Secretary of Portugal pointed out that the European Union has repeatedly reiterated its commitment to the continued enlargement of the EU. He welcomed the progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the activities on the path to accession to the European Union, and added that Portugal supports the efforts of the countries of the region to implement the necessary reforms in the process of European integration. He added that it is a challenging process, both for the European Union and for the countries of the Western Balkans.
The meeting also discussed the situation in the region from the aspect of illegal migration and the EUFOR-Althea mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which contributes to peace and stability with its presence, announced the Public Relations Office of the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
