European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today in Sarajevo, after meeting with the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Borjana Krišto, that Bosnia and Herzegovina has made a step towards membership in the European Union, emphasizing that the country is now on the threshold of the EU.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina has come a long way and today you stand on the threshold of the European Union, said von der Leyen, recalling the historic decision of the European Council a year and a half ago, which was a turning point on BiH’s European path.
Von der Leyen praised the efforts of domestic institutions in drafting the Reform Agenda, emphasizing that it is the result of the hard work of all institutions and that this spirit should be carried forward, especially within the framework of the Growth Plan, which could open the door to a billion euros of investments in BiH.
“You have agreed on the Reform Agenda, and now it is up to us to evaluate it. The next step is the finalization and ratification of the agreements necessary to obtain funds, but we will work together on this,” added von der Leyen.
The priority now, she stressed, is to hold the first intergovernmental conference, which requires the adoption of key laws in the field of justice and the appointment of a chief negotiator who will lead the accession negotiations.
“This must be a person who enjoys the trust of all of you. Negotiations require focus, perseverance, and above all unity,” von der Leyen stressed.
She added that enlargement is not only a political issue, but also a matter of the heart, will and voice of the people. According to a recent public opinion poll, von der Leyen stated, 72 percent of BiH citizens trust the European Union, and two-thirds of young people between the ages of 15 and 39 support enlargement.
“I think this is the strongest message of all, that future generations want to live in a stronger, safer, more united Europe and our task is to make that happen for them,” stated the President of the European Commission.
Von der Leyen also referred to her visit to Srebrenica today and stressed the importance of preserving the memory of the victims of genocide and respecting the victims and their families.
The Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, Borjana Krišto, said that she had briefed Leyen on the activities of the Council of Ministers regarding BiH’s European path, and pointed out that 24 laws have been submitted to the parliamentary procedure, 17 of which are European.
“Recently, it was a set of laws on intellectual property,” said Kristo.
She particularly highlighted the adoption of the Reform Agenda with a list of measures.
“We have forwarded it to the European Commission and now we expect a response from them,” said Kristo.
She stated that the meeting also discussed the obligations that BiH received in March last year when it received the green light to open negotiations with the EU.
“These are the laws on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and the Court of BiH. I would like to express my regret that they did not receive the required majority and were not adopted. We will continue to work on harmonizing the texts,” said Kristo.
She added that the chief negotiator of BiH was also discussed, and that it was emphasized that this is one of the obligations on the European path and that the decision on this will be submitted to the procedure.
“When it comes to the European path, there is no government and opposition. There is our common interest and commitment. Our place is in the EU,” said Kristo.
