DEI Research: Support of BiH Citizens for EU Entry Declines

(Patria) - The Directorate for European Integration conducted a public opinion survey in June 2025 on support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's accession to the European Union and topics related to European integration that interest citizens. The survey was conducted using the CATI method, on a sample of 1,200 respondents, which is representative at the level of the entire country.

In the event of a referendum on Bosnia and Herzegovina's entry into the European Union, 69.9% of BiH citizens would vote, i.e., seven out of ten citizens. EU entry would be supported by 82.9% of respondents in the Federation of BiH, 46.1% in the Republika Srpska, and 71.3% in the Brčko District. Compared to last year, the percentage of support among respondents is lower by 1.3%.

The main reasons why citizens support Bosnia and Herzegovina's entry into the European Union are the free movement of people, goods, and capital (31.4%), peace and political stability (29.1%), respect for the law (28.9%), and improvement of infrastructure (8.8%).

The most important reason among respondents who do not support Bosnia and Herzegovina's entry into the European Union is higher living costs and taxes (36.6%), followed by loss of diversity (20.2%), emigration of the population (17%), excessive centralization (9.1%), and increased bureaucracy (8.4%).

According to citizens, the European Union is interested in Bosnia and Herzegovina's accession mostly due to natural resources (38.1%), ensuring peace and stability (20.1%), and expanding the European market (19.8%).

Every second respondent, i.e., 43.4%, believes that the fight against corruption is the most important reform for improving everyday life, followed by reform of courts and prosecutor's offices (18.4%), reduction of tax burdens on labor and removal of obstacles to employment (14.9%), and reform of the social system (14.2%).

Citizens, 30.9% of them, see the politicization of the integration process as the biggest obstacle to Bosnia and Herzegovina's integration into the European Union, followed by unwillingness to change (25.6%), and objective obstacles (14.5%).

The largest number of respondents, 34%, believe that Bosnia and Herzegovina will enter the European Union within a maximum of 10 years, and 51.5% of citizens believe that Bosnia and Herzegovina's European path has no alternative.

A total of 42.4% of respondents believe that young people will benefit the most from BiH's entry into the EU, while 18.9% believe politicians will benefit, and 10.4% of respondents believe it will be students.

The majority of citizens (58.4%) recognized the European Union as the largest donor of funds to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The highest percentage of respondents (45.5%) believe that the EU will strengthen internal relations and continue with enlargement.

The public opinion survey on citizens' attitudes towards EU membership and the integration process into the European Union was published on the Directorate's website https://www.dei.gov.ba/bs/istrazivanja-javnog-mnijenja.