The Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, is on a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, during which he met with the Chairperson of the BiH Council, Borjana Krišto.
Plenković said after the meeting with chairwoman Kristo that the most important message of his visit to Sarajevo was support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European path and that the plan to dispose of nuclear waste at Trgovska gora, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been postponed until 2028.
The Croatian Prime Minister emphasized that the process of enlargement of the European Union is currently in a crucial phase after the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
“Russian aggression against Ukraine accelerated the enlargement process. In this context, the efforts of Bosnia and Herzegovina after last year’s acquisition of candidates for membership and the eight criteria plus one set, namely constitutional and electoral reform, are a guide for the European path. That is why I would like to encourage the Council of Ministers Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina to make efforts and pass laws that have been known as goals for almost a year. If this happens, it will be easier for all of us, friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to advocate for the adoption of positive decisions about Bosnia and Herzegovina than if they are not adopted,” he said.
He pointed out that now is the moment because the European Union is going to the elections next year and it is not possible to expect a focus on topics other than crisis ones.
During his address, he referred to the economic cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
“I wanted to say that our economic relations are progressing very well. In the first six months of this year, we reached two billion euros in economic exchange. Last year, we reached almost four billion, which means that this year will be so successful, and this shows mutual familiarity and strong economic ties between the two countries and numerous economic entities that place their products and services on the market of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina trade exchange now puts it in a realistic context,” Plenković said.
He also emphasized that Croatia wants to improve cooperation in the field of combating illegal migration, adding that Zagreb wants even stronger police cooperation with BiH, border control, better cooperation in the area of readmission and the conclusion of an agreement between BiH and Frontex.
He also spoked on the issue of Trgovska Gora, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Croatia planned to build a nuclear waste disposal site.
“One of the topics was the disposal of nuclear, low and low radioactive waste. Since the last meeting, the joint session of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of the Republic of Croatia in June of this year, we held a meeting of the interstate commission between Croatia and Slovenia and agreed that the existing disposal system within the framework of the Krško nuclear plant itself, will remain in force until after 2028, which relaxes this topic. We will continue talks with Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Plenković explained, Anadolu Agency reports.
Photo: Fena
