Hahn on BiH: Submitting answers to the EC Questionnaire does not automatically mean candidate status

BRUSSELS, (Patria) - Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker met today with members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chairman Milorad Dodik, and Presidency members Šefik Džaferović and Željko Komšić.

The Commissioner welcomed the joint agreement of the Presidency members to advance the EU perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a strategic goal of the country, in line with the aspirations of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this regard, he called on them to use this consensus as a political basis for accelerating the implementation of necessary measures and reforms.

The Commissioner emphasized that the country needs concrete and tangible reforms at this moment. Rhetoric of division or any initiatives that hinder the country's path to the EU must be avoided. In this context, the formation of all levels of government based on the October 2018 elections is crucial.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the European Commission's Opinion concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Commissioner called on the BiH Presidency to submit harmonized and internally agreed answers to the 656 additional questions as soon as possible. However, forwarding these answers to the EU will not mean the automatic granting of candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Commission's Opinion will serve as a comprehensive roadmap for extensive reforms that need to be urgently adopted and implemented, especially in the areas of rule of law and fundamental rights where clear shortcomings exist at all levels.

In this regard, Commissioner Hahn also highlighted the legitimate concerns of citizens, including those who took to the streets of Banja Luka. He stressed that the EU, as well as the international community, expect these cases to be properly monitored in accordance with international standards.

The Commissioner remains firmly committed to continuing to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina on its path to the EU for the benefit of all its citizens.