Unnecessary delays block the integration process, political leaders must show responsibility

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdić met today in Brussels with European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, with whom he discussed the possibility of including BiH's EU membership application on the agenda of the upcoming meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union, as well as the adoption of Conclusions on forwarding the application to the European Commission for an opinion on the request, the Patria agency reports.

Chairman Zvizdić emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina, after adopting the finalized text of the coordination mechanism for EU affairs, has fulfilled the last condition necessary for consideration of the application at the meeting on September 20. He said that further progress in the area of EU integration remains the focus of all levels of government and that BiH is strongly committed to continuing reform processes, with the aim of obtaining candidate status by the end of 2017.

Commissioner Hahn praised Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress and congratulated Chairman Zvizdić on removing the last condition for consideration of the application. He said it is necessary to continue efforts to advance reform processes and strengthen regional cooperation.

Chairman Zvizdić informed Commissioner Hahn about the level of implementation of the goals set out in the reform agenda and said that the Council of Ministers of BiH has implemented 55 percent of the planned measures. He also said that the regular implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement is ongoing and informed that procedures regarding the signing of the Protocol, as well as procedures regarding the establishment of bodies provided for by the coordination mechanism, are underway, and that we expect the questionnaire to be submitted as soon as possible.

Chairman Zvizdić also informed Commissioner Hahn that the Council of Ministers of BiH has adopted the transport strategy, and that Bosnia and Herzegovina has thus fulfilled the condition for access to regional and national EU funds.

They also discussed the current political situation in BiH and the possibilities of holding the announced referendum in the entity of Republika Srpska. Chairman Zvizdić and Commissioner Hahn agreed that in BiH, as in all other countries, court decisions, especially those of the Constitutional Court, which is part of the BiH Constitution, must be respected. Commissioner Hahn particularly emphasized that the process of approaching the European Union also requires a change in the behavior of representatives at all levels of government in terms of full respect for and improvement of the rule of law. Chairman Zvizdić also informed Commissioner Hahn about the registration of military property that took place in recent days in Han Pijesak and emphasized that with this, Bosnia and Herzegovina has also moved closer to NATO integration. They said that unnecessary delays block the continuation of the integration process and that all political actors in BiH must show responsibility towards the historic opportunity we have.

Chairman Zvizdić said that BiH is committed to maintaining the positive momentum of the reform process in order to obtain the status of a candidate country for membership by 2017 and that he expects the efforts so far to be recognized on September 20, when the Council should adopt the Conclusion on forwarding BiH's application to the European Commission with an invitation to prepare an Opinion on BiH's membership application.

Commissioner Hahn concluded that he expects the next session of the General Affairs Council to task the European Commission with beginning preparation of the questionnaire for Bosnia and Herzegovina.