The Head of the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Luigi Soreca, today in his welcoming speech to the EUFOR standby force, stressed that the European Union will not easily allow the progress achieved in recent years to be jeopardized due to the political crisis that has called into question the political functionality of Bosnia and Herzegovina in recent months.
Soreca said that as of today, additional troops from the Czech Republic, Italy and Romania have strengthened the EUFOR Althea mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and recalled that for the second time in three years, the European Union has decided to activate part of the EUFOR standby force in order to emphasize the European Union’s commitment to security and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He emphasized that EUFOR Althea represents a key contribution of the European Union in supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina on its European path, and that through supporting the local authorities in maintaining a safe and secure environment, the Mission plays a key role in ensuring stability.
– A safe and secure environment, I remind you, is key to BiH’s commitment to achieving progress on its European and NATO path. Your units are therefore invited to reinforce the EUFOR Althea Mission, which also sends a political message. The European Union will do everything to preserve the positive progress that Bosnia and Herzegovina has made on its European path.
Let me conclude by assuring you that your units directly contribute to the European Union’s commitment to supporting the country on its European path.
The European Union and I count on your commitment to ensuring peace, stability and progress for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Through continued cooperation, dialogue and concrete action, we can achieve a shared vision of a prosperous, democratic and European future for the country – said Ambassador Soreca.
At the end of his welcoming speech, the Head of the EU Delegation also expressed special gratitude to the ambassadors, troops from Italy, the Czech Republic and Romania, for their important contribution to EUFOR, the EU Delegation to BiH announced.
