From 13th to 15th March 2017 Commander of EUFOR (COMEUFOR) in BiH, Major General Friedrich Schrötter, visited Brussels for a number of high level meetings with EU officials in order to gain collective affirmation of support for the EUFOR mission, Operation Althea, in BiH.
On 13th Mar 17, COMEUFOR met with EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn. The two officials talked about BiH’s progress on the EU accession path and remaining challenges as well as about the security situation in the country. Hahn showed profound interest in EUFOR’s assessment of the situation of the BiH population and especially in how the peaceful and productive coexistence of all ethnicities within the country, particularly within the younger generation, could be enhanced.
On 14th March EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lars Gunnar Wigemark shared with the EU Political and Security Committee Meeting his positive assessment of progress within BiH toward EU Accession.
On the morning of 15th March COMEUFOR gave a press conference in Brussels to International Media to inform them of his views of the progress of the development of AFBiH and the reinforcements of all aspects of a safe and secure environment within BiH. He also announced a further press conference happening on the morning of the 24th March in Hotel Europe, Sarajevo, where local and international media will be invited.
In the afternoon COMEUFOR briefed the European Union Military Committee on the progress of the development of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the enduring requirement for EUFOR to remain in the country to provide support and assistance to the people of BiH.
The EU Military Committee is a highly influential body that has expressed tremendous support for the work of EUFOR and recognizes the progress of AFBiH over the last 6 months.
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