The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Elmedin Konakovic, met in Warsaw with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski.
The BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Konakovic and Sikorski discussed relations between BiH and the Republic of Poland, economic cooperation, European integration, regional situation, and global security challenges, with a focus on the war in Ukraine.
“It was emphasized that there are no open issues between BiH and the Republic of Poland and that bilateral relations are good and friendly, which serves as a basis for further strengthening cooperation in line with mutually expressed interests on both bilateral and international levels. The need for more frequent exchanges of bilateral visits at the highest level was also discussed,” stated the announcement.
Konakovic expressed gratitude to Poland for its ongoing support to BiH in the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, as well as for the participation of Polish soldiers in the EUFOR-ALTHEA mission in BiH. He particularly thanked Poland for co-sponsoring the United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution on the International Day of Remembrance for the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide. Regarding BiH’s path to the European Union (EU), he highlighted the European Council’s decision to open accession negotiations in March this year as a significant achievement and a new beginning, noting that the BiH economy heavily depends on the EU. Specifically, 70% of BiH’s exports go directly to EU member countries, and 22% to countries in the region that are EU candidates.
Konakovic reported that BiH still needs to adopt several laws and continue its reform process in the coming period, as the adoption of a negotiation framework and setting a date for the first Intergovernmental Conference is crucial for BiH and its progress towards full EU membership. “He stressed the importance of the EU’s correct approach at this time concerning enlargement, despite the brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine. He reiterated that BiH has fully aligned its foreign policy with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, as well as the Union’s declarations, stances, and decisions. He also referred to BiH’s excellent relations with NATO, noting that BiH hosted NATO’s Partner 360 Symposium 2024 last month, as well as the NATO Council meeting earlier this year,” the announcement added.
Konakovic thanked the Republic of Poland for the financial aid it sent to BiH after the devastating floods that hit BiH in early October.
Sikorski emphasized that Poland strongly supports BiH’s European path and announced continued support for BiH and Western Balkan countries, primarily through the Visegrad Group (V4) and other regional initiatives and organizations. He highlighted that Poland’s experience with European integration is beneficial for BiH.
“During the meeting, strengthening economic relations between the two countries was also discussed, and it was noted that additional efforts are needed to improve cooperation in certain areas. Satisfaction was expressed with the intensified cooperation in the fields of energy and tourism, as well as the establishment of air routes between Warsaw and Sarajevo, and Katowice and Mostar. The tourism potential of BiH was particularly highlighted,” stated the Ministry.
It was also noted that the interlocutors welcomed the strong contractual foundation between the two countries and expressed hope that procedures for concluding agreements would be completed as soon as possible. There was also discussion about enhancing bilateral cooperation in the context of exchanging support for candidacies for various positions in international organizations and bodies.
