The European Union (EU) is “ready to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) when the necessary level of compliance with the criteria for membership is achieved”, it is stated in the draft agreement that will be discussed today by the diplomatic representatives of the 27 EU member states.
Unnamed officials point out that this first draft, which is ready for discussion, is subject to change.
“The European Council will also open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova,” the draft agreement states.
As for Georgia, that country will receive the status of a candidate for EU membership “under the understanding” that Tbilisi fulfills all the necessary conditions.
Today, diplomatic envoys will consider the possibility of starting membership negotiations with Ukraine.
Today’s meeting is seen as a preparation for the EU summit on December 14th and 15th, at which the leaders of the bloc will make a decision on the possibilities of European integration for Ukraine, BiH, Moldova, Georgia, and others.
The government of the Netherlands has announced that it is against the opening of negotiations on the admission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU.
In the “Letter to the Parliament” on the issue of EU enlargement, with special reference to the Western Balkans, the Government reminds of the opinion of the European Commission (EC) from 2019 that the condition for the start of negotiations is that BiH fulfills 14 priorities.
The letter states that “as a temporary step, Bosnia and Herzegovina received candidate status in 2022, with the understanding that it will take steps related to 14 priorities”.
The Government of the Netherlands states that according to the opinion of the EC, only two priorities have been met, and that only limited progress has been achieved in most of the 14 priorities, and there is a setback in the area of freedom of expression.
“The government is very concerned about the rhetoric of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik about secession and his continuous undermining of state institutions,” the letter states.
The government of the Netherlands is “concerned about Dodik’s connections and his environment with Russia, and indicates that the implementation of EU sanctions against Russia is also a “subject of attention”.
It is concluded that the Government of the Netherlands shares the position of the EC that accession negotiations with BiH can only be opened when it achieves the necessary degree of compliance with the criteria for EU membership, and “that is by no means the case at the moment”, the letter states.
