The European Union is investing two million euros through the LORAI project to assist local authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in developing appropriate mechanisms for utilizing European funds, as well as for implementing and monitoring reforms on the ground, stated Luigi Soreca, Head of the European Union Delegation to BiH.
Today, Soreca participated in the fourth meeting of the Working Group on Relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina under the European Committee of the Regions, held in Travnik, where the role of local and regional authorities in the European integration process was discussed.
“Yesterday, we presented the Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina, which provides clear guidance on reform priorities and opportunities to leverage the benefits offered by the European Union. Today, we discussed the significant role that local authorities play in this process,” Soreca noted in a post on the social network X.
He emphasized that European integration directly impacts the daily lives of citizens, with its effects being particularly visible at the local level.
According to him, municipalities and cantons in BiH are already successfully applying for European funds and utilizing them for projects that deliver substantial benefits to citizens and business entities.
He highlighted that local and regional authorities can also play a key role in the implementation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Reform Agenda.
“Therefore, it is essential to strengthen the capacities of these authorities, as well as their connections with counterparts across the European Union,” Soreca stated. He explained that, through the LORAI project, the EU is investing two million euros to provide local authorities with the appropriate tools to leverage opportunities offered by the European Union, as well as to implement and monitor European reforms on the ground.
Soreca stated that the European Union would continue to cooperate with authorities at all levels to support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress on its European path.
The fourth meeting of the European Committee of the Regions’ Working Group on relations with BiH brought together representatives from European institutions, institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and local and regional authorities.
The discussions focused on current relations between BiH and the European Union, opportunities for utilizing European funds, and strengthening the role of local communities in the implementation and monitoring of the Reform Agenda.
