European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos will be in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 21 to 24 September to underline the European Union’s (EU) support for the country’s future as an EU member state and to encourage the authorities to accelerate the reform process ahead of the first intergovernmental conference.
In light of the European Council’s decision of March 2024 giving the green light to the opening of accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Commissioner will encourage the authorities to take all relevant steps to hold the long-awaited first intergovernmental conference, and to stress the importance of BiH not missing the unique opportunity offered by the Western Balkans Growth Agenda. The visit also comes ahead of the publication of the annual enlargement package later this year, which will report on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress on its path towards the EU.
On Monday 22 September, Kos will meet with members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto, as well as the President of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Irena Hadžiabdić.
The Commissioner will also visit Brus, where she will visit an EU-funded playground and clinic together with Mayor Bojo Gašanović, and meet with local mountaineering associations and young people. The Commissioner will attend the signing ceremony at the City Hall in Sarajevo for the construction of the new Ars Aevi contemporary art museum, funded through the EU4Culture programme.
On Tuesday 23 September, Kos will open the conference “Critical Voices Under Pressure” at Europe House in Sarajevo, and participate in an event with young people and athletes from BiH, including Amel Tuka, organised by the Olympic Committee of BiH as part of the 10th European Week of Sport in Visoko.
In Visoko, she will meet with Mayor Mirza Ganić, as well as city councillors. She will also visit the municipality of Vareš, which is part of the EU-funded project “Strengthening Trust and Cohesion in Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina – We Can Do Better”, implemented in cooperation with the United Nations in BiH, the OSCE Mission to BiH and the Council of Europe Office in BiH.
On Wednesday, September 24, he will address the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During the visit, Kos will also meet with representatives of civil society organizations, media representatives, local communities, influential women in business and young people from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina, AA writes.
