Chairwoman Krišto Opens “Accession Negotiations of BIH with EU” Conference

Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Borjana Krišto opened a conference “Accession Negotiations of Bosnia and Herzegovina with European Union” in Sarajevo. The conference gathered all-level high officials in BIH, European Commission representatives, and chieves of negotiating teams on membership in the European Union from countries of the region, for the purpose of advising decision makers from all-level authorities and presentation of obligations ahead in the process of accession talks with the European Union. 

Chairwoman Kripto emphasised in her address that with a full respect of the existing coordination mechanism, constitutional structure and competences within all-level authorities, solutions required for the European road are possible to find.

“We learn on the negotiating process in a whole through various forms and means on daily basis, we embrace review of the EU legal acquis, initiate procedures, develop and review negotiating structure, and we currently in the process of appointing chief negotiator and negotiating team”, Chairwoman Krišto said.

She reminded that BIH has, by the European Council decision, achieved a historic breakthrough when it comes to the EU integrations process.

Following the decision on opening of negotiations, the first official high-level meeting with the EU was held, however the negotiating structure is yet to be arranged.

“Being aware of our constitutional-legal setting and widely decentralised competences, sometimes it takes more time and effort to agree on solutions. Time behind us proved that it is dialogue and agreement, when in question the European integrations, through which everything is possible to solve within institutions of BIH”, Chairwoman Krišto said.

Valentina Superti, Director for BIH under the European Commission Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations and EU Chief Negotiator pointed out that a message from Brussels is that the EU doors are open for BIH.

“The Commission is ready to report on BIH progress and take all necessary steps towards member-countries any time”, Supreti said, emphasising that it is necessary for the country to show, during this summer, concrete results on remaining steps.

As to procedures necessary to be taken in parallel with reform processes, the EU Chief Negotiator said the country should prepare for screening, i.e. a Q/A session on the EU acquis, the date of which should be agreed to.

According to her, the Q/A session will be followed by a bilateral screening phase, within which the country should show the level of its harmonisation with the EU acquis.

“You need to be prepared to present your own information for the bilateral screening, and in terms of internal organisation, you will have to appoint the operative chief negotiator and negotiating team with a distinctive political mandate”, Supreti said in her address.

The conference was addressed also by Head of the European Union Delegation in BIH and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Johann Sattler, Minister for European Integrations and Head of Negotiating Tema of Serbia Tanja Miščević, Former Chief Negotiator of Croatia Vladimir Drobnjak, State Secretary and Deputy Chief Negotiator of North Macedonia Drita Abdiu Hakllili, Former Minister of European Affairs and Former Chief Negotiator of Montenegro Aleksandar Andria Pejović, and Director of the Directorate for European Integrations Elvira Habota.

The host of the conference was the Office of Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BIH, together with the Directorate for Euroepan Integrations of BIH. (end)

Video of address by CoM Chairwoman Borjana Krišto:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=m4qNYqYWnj2aDyZA&v=oQJqEetUVrY&feature=youtu.be

 

Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/vijeceministara/albums/72177720317368916/