Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Josip Brkić held a meeting with the Working Group of the Council of the European Union for the Western Balkans (COWEB) in Brussels, where they discussed the current state of the European integration process of Bosnia and Herzegovina, cooperation within the framework of the Joint Foreign and Security Policy (JFSP), as well as other issues in the context of current geopolitical circumstances.
In his address, Deputy Minister Brkić confirmed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s firm commitment to the European path, noting that the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina is an important cohesion factor in the country. He informed those present about the reform progress achieved so far, including the strengthening of the rule of law, the fight against money laundering, signed agreements with EUROJUST and FRONTEX, and 100% compliance with the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union.
In his address, he highlighted the challenges of appointing the chief negotiator and establishing an effective negotiation mechanism, which are necessary for the start of accession negotiations. He reminded the members of the working group of the importance of equal access to all candidate countries and that progress should be based on objective criteria and real results achieved in the reform processes.
In this context, the importance of strengthening the institutional framework and the rule of law was particularly emphasized.
Finally, he emphasized that the opening of accession negotiations would represent a strong political signal of support, which would further strengthen the reform momentum and contribute to stability and strengthening citizens’ confidence in the European perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During his stay in Brussels, Deputy Minister Brkić also held a bilateral meeting with the Deputy Director General for the Western Balkans in the European External Action Service (EEAS), Emanuele Giaufret, at which they discussed further improving cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union.
