Ashton: BiH faces major economic and political challenges

The Council of the European Union discussed the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina today, but the discussion ended without concrete conclusions, reports the BiH news agency Patria (NAP).

High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the EU, Baroness Catherine Ashton, briefly informed the public at a press conference after the session, overshadowed by events in Ukraine, that the discussion had taken place.

- Clearly, we briefly discussed other issues, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. I informed the ministers about my recent visit to Sarajevo. I acquainted them with the importance of helping BiH, which is facing major political, economic, and social challenges – Ashton said, reports NAP. Our agency previously reported on such an outcome of the discussion, given that there is still no consensus within the EU on a new approach towards BiH.

When asked by journalists about the victory of Aleksandar Vučić in Serbia, Ashton said that he had been an important partner for the EU. She also announced an upcoming visit to Belgrade once the new government is formed and congratulated Serbia on its successful elections.

- We continue discussions and I hope that a new round of negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo will take place soon – she said.

Speaking about Ukraine, she confirmed that the EU had made a decision on sanctions against 21 individuals due to the referendum in Crimea. She reiterated the set of EU conclusions, which, among other things, call on Russia to withdraw its troops from Crimea and not to proceed with the annexation of the peninsula.