It is necessary to continue the political dialogue between the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union, as well as to reduce tensions in society, avoid conflicting rhetoric and create an atmosphere in which BiH could fulfill the remaining conditions and make strides on the path to EU membership. This was emphasized at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee for Stabilization and Association between the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina (POSP), which was organized in Sarajevo.
Ademović: The European path among BiH priorities
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the BiH PA, Kemal Ademović, recalled that membership in the European Union is one of the two highest priorities in the foreign policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He assessed that, taking into account the circumstances in which it operates, significant strides have been made in terms of parliamentary cooperation between the BiH PA and the European Parliament delegations.
Addressing the members of this joint parliamentary body, whose duty is to consider all aspects of relations between the EU and BiH, encourage dialogue between parliamentarians and improve relations between the BiH PA and the European Parliament, he briefly summarized the steps that BiH has taken after it was granted candidate status.
He pointed out that, in addition to adopting reform laws, our country has signed an Agreement on Cooperation with FRONTEX in the past two years to protect the borders of BiH and prevent illegal migration, as well as an agreement with EUROJUST, which, with the help of the EU, has strengthened its capacities to fight organized crime, corruption, terrorism and illegal migration.
Assessing how improving the security situation in BiH represents a contribution to the collective security of the entire European continent, Ademović highlighted the extension of the mandate of the EUFOR/ALTEA mission, which expires on November 2 this year, as the most important aspect of maintaining security in BiH at this moment, and called on the European members of the United Nations Security Council to contribute to the achievement of this strategic goal that ensures a stable environment in BiH.
Ademović called on his colleagues in the BiH PA to be decisive in order to adopt the remaining laws from the list of 14 priorities of the European Commission and appointed a chief negotiator with the aim of BiH officially opening negotiations and starting institutional and operational work in the EU accession process.
Soreca: Although the EU’s doors are wide open, BiH has not done much
The opening speech was also given by the Head of the EU Delegation to BiH, Ambassador Luigi Soreca, who expressed his gratitude to the members of the European Parliament for their continued support for BiH in the European integration process. Speaking about BiH’s European path, Ambassador Soreca said that, despite the fact that the EU’s doors are wide open, not much has been done in BiH in the past period.
He warned that it is urgently necessary to restart the European integration process and, in the interest of the citizens of BiH, to avoid deeper tensions and political divisions. He particularly warned of the need for BiH to adopt the Reform Agenda by September 30 and activate funds from the EU Growth Plan, since, if this is not done, BiH will lose, as he said, another 10 percent of funds intended for specific projects, jobs, investments and, especially, young people in BiH.
Habota: Focus attention from internal issues of BiH to European issues
The parliamentarians were also addressed by the Director of the Directorate for European Integration, Elvira Habota, who spoke about the results of the recently held meeting of the Stabilization and Association Committee between BiH and the EU, which concluded that attention from internal political issues in BiH should be focused on European issues and focused on fulfilling the remaining conditions from the Opinion of the European Commission.
The parliamentarians’ discussion, which was attended by the Co-Chair of the POSP Davor Ivo Stier, MP from Germany Jan – Peter Varnke, Deputy Chair of the Delegation of the BiH PA to the POSP Mia Karamehić – Abazović, Šefik Džaferović, Radovan Kovačević, MP from Slovakia Katarina Rot Nevedalova, and POSP Co-Chair Zdenko Ćosić, highlighted the goodwill and desire of all participants for Bosnia and Herzegovina to join the EU.
The agenda of the POSP also includes the fulfillment of the 14 key priorities and eight steps from the European Commission Opinion, as well as developments related to the finalization of the Reform Agenda with the aim of activating funds for BiH from the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
The participants of the 7th POSP meeting in Sarajevo are also expected to adopt the Joint Statement of POSP Co-Chairs Zdenko Ćosić and Davor Ivo Stier, BHRT writes.
