High-level officials of the European Union congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina on the EU leaders’ decision to unanimously grant BiH the status of a candidate country for EU membership.
As the President of the European Council, Charles Michel said, the candidate status gives a strong signal to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens and underlines that the EU expects BiH to implement reforms and work to strengthen state institutions.
At the press conference held after this year’s last meeting of the prime ministers and presidents of the 27 member states of the European Union, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina on its candidate status, stating that it is an encouragement for the country to maintain its focus on the European path.
On February 15, 2016, Bosnia and Herzegovina formally submitted an application for membership in the European Union to the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
After the political decision on candidate status was made yesterday, the phase of opening accession negotiations should now begin.
However, the start of that process will be decided only after BiH fulfills the 14 reform conditions specified in the Opinion of the European Commission on the request for membership issued in 2019.
The European Council has the final say when it comes to enlargement, including the granting of candidate status and the start of accession negotiations with any of the potential future members of the European Union, Fena reports.
