High Representative Christian Schmidt pointed out at the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague that the main priority of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans region is support for strengthening the stability and peaceful environment that are necessary for successful reforms and EU integration. At the threshold, they discussed the path to European security and the future with a focus on the Western Balkans.
Progress on the road to Euro-Atlantic integration requires the proactive commitment of political leaders and civil society in BiH.
Emphasizing how essential it is for Bosnia and Herzegovina to show real effort and increased engagement on the road to integration, with full respect for the Dayton Peace Agreement, the high representative spoke with European and world leaders in Prague.
The High Representative spoke at the panel discussion “Ready or not: The truth about the EU’s readiness for enlargement”, together with Miroslav Lajčák and State Secretary at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tomas Bager.
He spoke about the current political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and insisted that political actors in BiH must immediately speed up the pace, overcome the political deadlock and make the most of the opportunities provided by EU integration for the benefit of all citizens of BiH.
Commenting on how the EU can adapt its integration models to facilitate enlargement, the High Representative highlighted the need for a cohesive approach that is aligned with the needs and expectations of current and future member states.
“However, this will not produce the desired results within a reasonable time if the authorities in BiH do not speed up the pace and begin to fulfill their obligations to citizens and international partners,” the high representative concluded.
The High Representative also met with a group of BiH diaspora in order to exchange views on the current situation in the country. He also visited children and mothers from SOS villages from the countries of the Western Balkans who are currently on summer vacation in the Czech Republic in Prague.
