Chairwoman Krišto in Meeting with Borrell and Varhelyi on Eve of 5th Meeting of EU-BIH Stabilisation and Accession Council

Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Borjana Krišto talked in Brussels with EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrel on European road of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at a meeting held on the eve the 5th meeting of the EU-BIH Council for Stabilisation and Accession. 

Chairwoman Krišto said awarding the candidate status to our country is an important step forward, which gives us a new dimension in BIH-EU relations and incentive for maximum engagement of institutions in charge for European integration issues. She stressed that the Council of Ministers of BIH is doing its utmost to fulfil 14 priority requirements from the European Commission Opinion, adding that the European road of BIH has no alternative and all-level authorities are actively engaged in reforms implementation in order to step-up integration processes.

She underlined the importance of close cooperation and coordination of counties of the region with the European Union, in all these issues, since the problems to be dealt with largely surpass technical and financial capabilities of individual states. She added that Bosnia and Herzegovina with its foreign policy follows foreign and security policy of the EU.

The meeting commended yesterday’s unanimous adoption at the BIH Presidency of two agreements within the Berlin Process. An open, constructive and partner political dialogue between institutions and BIH officials, on one side, and institutions and officials of the European Union and its member states, on the other side, is a key element for strengthening and improvement of relations.

Chairwoman Krišto said she expects Bosnia and Herzegovina to open negotiations on membership by the end of 2023. She said that progress and improvement in BIH depend highly on strengthening and promotion of mutual confidence, internal dialogue and consensus by legitimate political representatives of people on the most important internal policy issues, concerning implementation of the Constitutional Court decision and European Court for Human Rights awards, which will require limited amendments of the BIH Constitution and Election Law.

Immediately before meeting with EU High Representative Borrell, Chairwoman Krišto met with European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, with whom she discussed European integrations and regional issues. (end)