On Monday, Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the PS BiH Dragan Čović held a working meeting in Budapest with the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, with whom he discussed bilateral relations and cooperation, the current political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European path and shared work priorities.
As stated in the announcement, during the meeting they also discussed the preservation of the constitutional architecture of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the protection of the rights of the Croatian people as one of the constituent nations.
Čović informed the minister about the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasizing his commitment to preserving peace, stability, territorial integrity and the constitutional architecture of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In light of the upcoming 30th anniversary of the General Framework Agreement for Peace, which will be celebrated at the end of the year, he informed the minister about the current efforts to achieve the necessary changes to the electoral legislation in order to protect the constitutionally defined rights of Croats and to achieve legitimate representation.
Speaking about the current processes, he emphasized the need for urgent implementation of European reforms, stressing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s path towards the European Union as a key foreign policy priority.
Also, Čović thanked Hungary for its consistent support for BiH’s European path and the rights of the Croatian people, and expressed full readiness for continued cooperation through an open political dialogue.
“I am convinced that precisely through this understanding and your voice through the institutions you represent, Bosnia and Herzegovina will get a well-deserved chance for an accelerated path towards the European Union,” Čović said at the press conference.
Minister Szijjarto confirmed that Hungary strongly supports the integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the European Union.
“We believe that the European Union should open the door to Bosnia and Herzegovina, because only by including the countries of the Western Balkans can we ensure long-term stability on the continent,” he said.
At the conclusion of the visit, the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation was emphasized, and the interlocutors also emphasized the good bilateral relations of the two countries and mutual readiness for further strengthening of the partnership, which will contribute to the further development of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In addition to Čović, the meeting was attended by Darijana Filipović, a member of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament, while the minister was accompanied by Peter Staraj, State Secretary, Henrieta Balajti, Deputy State Secretary, Gabor Eros, a member of the Hungary-BiH Friendship Group, and Ministerial Commissioner Dr. Gjula Budai.
