At the plenary session of the European Parliament, which is held in Strasbourg, the representatives discussed the Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In a plenary speech, the Croatian representative in the European Parliament, Tomislav Sokol, emphasized that stability and long-term survival, as well as the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina, can only be achieved by completing the reform of the electoral law, which will enable full equality for all three constituent nations.
“With the recent decisions of High Representative Schmidt, which imposed changes to the electoral legislation and the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina were saved from the political liquidation that was being prepared for them by the SDA and DF. In this way, as well as by removing the blockade of the formation of the executive power in the Federation , the influence of anti-European fundamentalist forces in Sarajevo was reduced and it was made possible for BiH to really move in the direction of European integration. The Croats are a constituent nation that certainly wants to join the European Union most of all, without a finger in their pocket. We hope that now they finally have a partner on the Bosniak side as well, with rational conversation without attempts to override and disenfranchise. The best test of the sincerity of intentions will be the final reform of the electoral legislation, which should make it impossible for persons without electoral legitimacy like Željko Komšić to ever be elected as false representatives of the Croatian people in the Presidency of the State. Stability and long-term survival, as well as the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina, can only be achieved by completing the reform of the electoral law, which will enable full equality for all three constituent nations,” Sokol emphasized.
MEP Sunčana Glavak reminded that BiH’s path towards European integration dates back to 1997; In 2016, an application for membership was submitted, and in December of last year, Bosnia and Herzegovina received the status of a candidate country.
“A lot of lessons were learned on that long journey, both in this House and from the perspective of Bosnian politicians. I believe that BiH, in front of their politics, has a generational opportunity because the level of trust in the EU according to the latest Eurobarometer is 57 percent. This was done with numerous efforts, as well as the current chairman of the Council of Ministers, Borjana Krišto, whom I congratulate for her role in this process. Democratic transformation and the rule of law are a good and true path for BiH towards full European integration. We want an economically, politically and socially sustainable society,” said MEP Glavak.
Expressing regret that the constituent nations are mentioned only once in the report, and that in the context of taking note of them, member of the European Parliament Sunčana Glavak emphasized that the Electoral Law must ensure legitimacy and that it must be improved, the European People’s Party announced.
