Chairwoman Krišto at Opening of Ministerial Conference on EU Accession Negotiations - Judiciary

Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Borjana Krišto opened in Sarajevo today a Ministerial Conference on Western Balkans EU Accession Negotiations (negotiating chapter 23 – judiciary, fight against corruption and fundamental rights). 

In her address, Chairwoman Krišto said the major motif of today’s conference and joint aim of all states participants is a full membership in the EU. She said this Conference is a chance to reiterate decisiveness and will of Bosnia and Herzegovina to officially and successfully open negotiations, to create  strong foundations for future in the European Union.

She added that we are in different preparatory phases for achieving the aim, with exemption of the Republic of Croatia which is a full member of the EU since 2013, and which negotiating process experience will help our country in the coming period of time. She extended her gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and to President of the Government Andrej Plenković, in particular, for continuing support to BIH on its European road.

“I wish to assure you that the incumbent Council of Ministers is persistent on our European road, despite all problems we are facing, because results we achieved in this term prove it beyond any doubt, however we are aware that reforms should be stepped—up in all spheres of social life, especially in judiciary and fight against corruption and generally in rule of law ”, Chairwoman Krišto said.

She stressed a special position of Bosnia and Herzegovina in relation to countries of the region, concerning constitutional-legal arrangement, multiethnic structure, made of three constitutive people and other citizens, obliging us to simultaneous protection of individual rights of each citizen and collective rights of all three constitutive people, therefore, it is important, she said, that the principle of constitutionality - as a constitutional principle of collective equality of constitutive people, which bans predomination in authority of one or two people – to be operationalised consistently in all three parts of authority – legislative, executive and judicial one.

“In that sense, we will preserve on a strong decisiveness in fulfilment of remaining obligations, like the election law reform, which implies implementation of domestic and international courts’ awards, legitimate political representation and removal of all forms of discrimination, strengthening of rule of law, fight against corruption and implementation of all EC recommendations, and implementation of all commitments form the Stabilization and and Association Agreement (SAA)”, Chairwoman Krišto said. (end)

Photography: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vijeceministara/albums/72177720318295748/