Some politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina were encouraged by the signals and statements of European officials, such as the German Chancellor, that active work should be done on the accession of the Western Balkans to the European Union. Many are of the opinion that the aggravation of relations between Russia and the European Union could be transferred to the shaky ground of the Western Balkans. In such a situation, there may be a chance for the accelerated admission of our country into the European family. Despite many wishes, the clear decision of the Union to be ready for that is still missing.
Two problems at the start; the lack of a unified position of key political actors in our country on that path and the lack of concrete moves by the leaders of the European Union. Without a common position, but with a multitude of desires.
For some, this is a historic moment for the accelerated acquisition of candidate status. And in order for the wishes to be concretized, it is necessary to start from the adoption of the law from the list of priorities, which have been waiting for years; Law on Conflict of Interest, Public Procurement and the HJPC.
PredRag Kojovic, representative of Our Party in PSBiH
“That is why we proposed that a working body of representatives of all clubs in the House of Representatives be formed immediately at this session, which will agree on two of those three laws, because one is already in the House of Peoples where it sits and wants for month to adopt EU-compliant versions of these laws. ”
In parallel, a request for urgent candidate status should be made. Many are also appealing for BiH’s accession to NATO.
Denis Zvizdic, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina
“The decision on BiH’s accession to NATO is practically now a political decision, and no longer fulfilling military material and other certain conditions. The same thing is with the EU, we geographically belong to the EU, historically and of course we will be part of the EU sooner or later.”
We have set out on the EU path by signing a Stabilization and Association Agreement, but we have fallen on the task of meeting 14 key priorities. With a lack of will, many disagreements and blockades, we did not do much. Now is the time to turn around, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of our country, who has already appealed to EU officials to give BiH candidate status immediately.
Bisera Turkovic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH
“Appreciating the security situation and security challenges that exist in the Western Balkans, there will be enough political will on the EU side to get the green light for candidate status. It will not be a regular procedure and we will not be asked to do what is not possible. “.
Apart from discussions, there is no concrete feedback from the EU. Maybe, because there is no positive signal in BiH either, analysts believe, primarily an open conversation among parliamentarians, but it should be about EU status, because, they say, it is a political decision of the EU.
Adi Cerimagic, analyst at the European Stability Initiative in Berlin
“Then, in addition to granting candidate status, opening negotiations with all six countries, he will have to make a decision that they want to expand and that they want those countries to become EU members within a reasonable period of 5 to 10 years. There is no such decision at the moment.”
Bodo Weber, analyst and associate of the Council for the Democratization of Politics in Berlin
“It would be better for the EU to finally worry about this crisis and accept that its policy towards the Western Balkans and BiH for the last 15 years is not serious or strategic, and to seriously accept and develop a strategic policy towards BiH.”
This could also be applied to domestic leaders, who have long been declaratively committed to the EU path, but do little in practice. The next test is again in the state parliament, the formation of a working body, if the representatives from the Republika Srpska decide to participate in the work, so that we can all try to find a solution for the European future of BiH.
Source: BHRT
