The Head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative to BiH, Ambassador Luigi Soreca, said at a reception marking 9 May – Europe Day in Sarajevo that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina can be confident in their commitment to this country and its future in the EU, and that the EU has been and continues to be a reliable partner and steadfast friend.
He stressed that BiH is not only blessed with incredible landscapes and an exceptional cultural heritage, but is also home to many people of exceptional talent, determination and resilience.
“This is a complex country and your support has been invaluable. And this is indeed so, primarily because of the current political climate and the difficult challenges ahead. It is precisely because of its complexity and challenges that our joint efforts to bring Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to a future within the European Union are all the more significant and important,” said Soreca.
He stated that the European Union was created as a project of peace and cooperation on a continent too often torn apart by conflict. After the horrors of fascism and the devastation of World War II, the founders of the European Union envisioned a different future – one in which the economies and societies of our continent were so closely united through economic and political cooperation that war was not only unthinkable, but also fundamentally impossible.
“European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has spoken many times about answering the call of history by enlarging the European Union. But, as you in Bosnia and Herzegovina know all too well, the vision of Europe’s founders has not yet been fully realized. Not only is this vision incomplete, it is increasingly threatened by those who reject the rules and values-based global order established after World War II in favor of a framework of ‘the stronger oppresses’, where, as Thucydides wrote, ‘the strong do what they want and the weak suffer what they must’. Russia’s brutal and inhumane aggression against Ukraine, as well as attempts to destabilize European democracies through disinformation, cyberattacks and sabotage, are a signal that the security of a united Europe can no longer be taken for granted. We are not, as once hoped, at the “end of history”. We can no longer console ourselves with the thought that tomorrow will surely be better than today. To secure a united Europe, we must remain determined, engaged and committed,” said Ambassador Soreca.
He stated that the European Union has been and continues to be a reliable partner and steadfast friend, and that it has once again shown solidarity last October, with the rapid mobilisation of aid after the devastating floods in Herzegovina.
“This is what partnership looks like in practice. A partnership in which the EU and its Member States play for the same team, Team Europe. However, today progress on the European path is stalled due to a deep political crisis, which is the result of unilateral and unacceptable attacks on the domestic constitutional order. Despite the important progress achieved in recent years, and more recently in January this year with the adoption of the Data Protection Act and the Border Control Act, a few final steps remain. However, it would be remiss not to note that the opening of accession negotiations now seems further away than a year ago,” said the Head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative in BiH.
He stated that the EU has offered a Growth Plan to boost the economic development of the Western Balkans and facilitate the bloc’s integration into the single market, the largest single market in the world.
“Again, without the necessary engagement of domestic institutions, this is another opportunity that risks being missed – with significant consequences for individuals and businesses. This is clearly not an ideal scenario, but the European Union stands with those who work in good faith for a stable, prosperous and European Bosnia and Herzegovina. Speak up and make your voice heard! We will also continue to support domestic legal remedies and institutional responses to confront the crisis and protect the rule of law and the legal order. In this context, I would like to pay special tribute to the numerous civil servants who continue to perform their duties with integrity and professionalism, amidst intense political pressure and public threats,” said Soreca.
He believes that despite the challenges that Bosnia and Herzegovina faces today, the country can still progress on its European path – as the vast majority of its citizens want. In light of a new wave of protectionism, an accelerating climate crisis and new security challenges, the EU is offering the Western Balkans an opportunity to face these global challenges together.
He told the BiH authorities that it is time to act responsibly to secure the future of their citizens, and for European integration to be the backbone of their efforts, the focus and the common denominator beyond disagreements.
“Opening accession negotiations is a concrete proposal. It is not unattainable – even in the midst of the current crisis. Accession negotiations are not just a framework for achieving EU membership, but a tool for real change. Accession negotiations are a powerful mechanism for building better democratic institutions, strengthening the rule of law, fostering a resilient economy, protecting the environment, defending consumer rights and advancing human rights. The responsibility lies with domestic leaders to make the most of this historic opportunity, which will require courage, a spirit of compromise, mutual trust and understanding,” said Soreca.
At the end of his address, he reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to building a common future, based on shared values, prosperity and peace.
“The European Union is not an abstract idea, but a real and living project with man at its center. After all, as we often point out, Bosnia and Herzegovina is ‘Always in the heart of Europe’,” Ambassador concluded.
