Citizens for Europe called on the BIH government to immediately reach an agreement on the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance in Rural Development (IPARD).
Since 2010, civil society organizations and members of the initiative of citizens of Europe have been intensively advocating for efficient action of BiH authorities in meeting the obligations set out in the process of European integration. After intensive consultations organized by Citizens for Europe in the last several years, with the participation of several hundred citizens, rural development and agriculture have become one of the major backbones of the development of BIH, according to a statement from the Initiative of Citizens for Europe.
This is also supported by the fact that over 55 percent of the BIH population lives in rural areas, which makes up over 80 percent of its total territory.
The continuous indication from the European Commission in its annual reports on the progress of BiH, on the stagnation in this sector, has so far not led to significant shifts that would ensure for BiH citizens to have more use of EU funds. The latest information from the office of the Special Representative of the EU on suspension of funds once again highlights the need for clear political agreement on the establishment of structures for the implementation of IPARD and developing a strategic plan for rural development for the entire country as a prerequisite for aid for agricultural development and rural development as part of the planned IPA II funds of the EU.
In accordance with the recommendations of civil society organizations and other stakeholders, gathered as part of the Initiative of Citizens for Europe, we call on BiH government to immediately reach an agreement on the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance in Rural Development in order to avoid a multi-million dollar loss of funds that are necessary for development, to soften stagnation in the sector and to reduce the potential for the negative impact of the accession process in countries in the region of the EU, according to the statement.
