Slovenia has criticized Bosnia and Herzegovina for preventing Slovenian citizens from voting in EU elections, saying that the move hinders BiH’s progress in joining the European Union, writes Politico.
Politico states that members of the coalition of the President of BiH of the Republika Srpska entity Milorad Dodik in the Council of Ministers this week blocked the adoption of a decision that would allow the citizens of Slovenia, Romania and Poland living in Bosnia and Herzegovina to vote in the EU elections in the diplomatic missions of those three countries.
According to the Slovenian Ministry of the Interior, 1,977 Slovenian citizens residing in Bosnia and Herzegovina have the right to vote in the European Parliament elections.
Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon called that move “unacceptable”, pointing out that BiH only recently received the green light to start accession negotiations for EU membership.
The President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, emphasized that the recent moves of Bosnia and Herzegovina “hold back its European progress” and that they are incomprehensible because Slovenia is “one of the most active countries in supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina on its European path”.
Some BH politicians also criticized the move. Among them is Foreign Affairs Minister Elmedin Konaković, who sent letters to ministers in Slovenia, Romania and Poland in which he stated that recent events “show a destructive intent to damage bilateral relations” with BiH’s allies in the EU.
Politico states that Konaković pointed out that the decision was made due to the “malignant Russian influence that is gaining momentum” in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
