Komšić criticized Izetbegović, optimism ahead of meeting with EU officials

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Members of the BiH Presidency traveled to Brussels today, where they will hold a series of meetings with officials of the European Commission and the European Union on Wednesday. 

Ahead of their departure, BiH Presidency members Željko Komšić and Šefik Džaferović addressed the media at Sarajevo International Airport. Komšić stated that BiH's European path is not in question, unlike its NATO path, and that he expects EU leaders to tell them that BiH has made some progress, but that it needs to speed up.

"This invitation to Brussels surprised me, I didn't expect it to happen due to the pandemic and travel difficulties, but obviously, the people inviting us want to tell us something. There is indeed limited progress that we have made as a country in implementing these 14 EC priorities. Whether it is a reason for satisfaction - I believe it could have been more. It will probably be said that BiH has taken some steps, but that it must speed up some things because we are now expected to adopt a new law on public procurement, amendments to the law on the HJPC, to start reforming public administration and adopt regulations listed in the 14 priorities. That is the 'easier' part of the job that has been done. Then you will have to move on to more difficult things that involve serious amendments to the Election Law and the Constitution in order to implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. You know how difficult that is, and in the current political circumstances in BiH, it seems like an almost impossible mission," said Komšić.

He said that this is not the only meeting in Brussels and that they have already received an invitation for October 9th, when meetings with various new EU authorities are expected.

He also commented on the visit of Bakir Izetbegović and Dragan Čović to Andrej Plenković, emphasizing "that visiting the prime minister of a neighboring country and discussing internal issues such as the election law is not appropriate".

"It is neither diplomatic nor polite for Zagreb to do that. One of the reasons why I would not go is that by doing so, I legitimize Zagreb's interference in BiH's internal affairs. I spoke with Mr. Izetbegović and told him what I think, his stance is that we should talk and try to make friends in HDZ in Zagreb as well. I told him that this has nothing to do with charm because it is obvious that Croatia has a strategic commitment, through this internal interference and keeping HDZ BiH and HNS firmly under its control, to keep BiH in a subordinate political and economic position. Mr. Izetbegović presented his position quite firmly, there was no shift, and that is that the amendments to the Election Law requested by HDZ will not be able to get support - I appreciate that stance. However, the context in which it happened is strange and I would not do it. If Zagreb wants to help BiH, let them read those 14 priorities, and it is written there that everything is contrary to what Zagreb is doing," said Komšić, adding that the same applies to Belgrade.

The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Šefik Džaferović, was optimistic before departing for Brussels.  

"I hope that the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina will present itself in the best light in Brussels," said Džaferović, adding that he hopes Bosnia and Herzegovina will more intensively move towards fulfilling the conditions for EU membership.

Džaferović said that he believes that Bosnia and Herzegovina will obtain candidate status for membership in the European Union by the end of this year, or at the latest in the spring of 2021.

He added that many obstacles are in play on our country's path to the EU, but that all efforts must be directed towards the work that awaits us on the rest of the path to the Union, as well as to NATO.

Visit Plan 

The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Šefik Džaferović, and members of the BiH Presidency, Milorad Dodik and Željko Komšić, will meet with the President of the European Parliament, David Maria Sassoli, on Wednesday at 12:00 PM in the European Parliament building. A working lunch with the Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Oliver Varhelyi, will be held at the European Commission building at 1:00 PM. Members of the BiH Presidency will also meet with the Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, at 3:15 PM.