Chairman of the Joint Committee for European Integration of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PSBiH), Zdenko Ćosić, Deputy Chairman of the Joint Committee Miroslav Vujičić and Member of the Joint Committee Mia Karamehić-Abazović met today with the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs. of the Republic of Croatia Gordan Grlić Radman on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s next steps in the European integration process.
Minister Grlić Radman welcomed all the results achieved by Bosnia and Herzegovina on the European path and emphasized that Croatia is the strongest advocate among all members of the European Union (EU) of the continuation of the integration process of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the opening of pre-accession negotiations with the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
underlining that it was Croatia that initiated the sending of a letter to the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in which seven EU Member States strongly advocate for openness of pre-accession negotiations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU by the end of 2023, Minister Grlić Radman announced that Croatia would continue to exert intense lobbying in favor of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European integration process.
The delegation of the Republic of Croatia, which included the Secretary of State for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia and the co-chair of the Joint Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on European Partnership, Andreja Metelko – Zgombić, as well as the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ivan Sabolić, welcomed the holding of the second High-level political forum between the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina on December 5 in Brussels, and invited all representatives of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina to take advantage, as they said, of the opportunity and the political climate favorable which, due to the complex geopolitical situation, in the EU, and continue to implement credible reforms which would fulfill the conditions to obtain a date for negotiations with the EU.
They offered Bosnia and Herzegovina full technical and expert assistance and support in the negotiation process, and said that the opening of this process would also mean the opening of European funds for the economy and citizens, as well as as the realization of significant funds from the announced funds. Growth plan, with which the EU has prepared 6 billion euros for all Western Balkan countries.
Thanks to the sincere and concrete support provided by Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina on the European path, the members of the Joint Commission for European Integration of the PSBiH expressed the hope that the EU will recognize the strategic and security importance of the continuation of the enlargement process. to the Western Balkan countries and that Bosnia and Herzegovina will obtain the status of negotiator for full membership of the EU.
Members of the Joint Commission stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership in the EU is a strategic goal around which there is a consensus of all political forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They noted that the erasure of borders with Croatia, that is, with the EU, would be of great importance for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, according to them, would contribute to stronger economic cooperation between the two countries, as well as an improvement in foreign trade and the circulation of capital. people, property and capital.
Welcoming the establishment of the Joint Commission to monitor the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the European Partnership, the members of the Joint Commission for Integration European Union of PSBiH called for more frequent meetings of officials of the two countries, as well as the opening of road and rail corridors, which, according to them, increased the level of cross-border cooperation and contributed to better realization of projects in the field of tourism, it was announced from the PSBiH.