Konaković with Schallenberg: BiH and Austria are friendly countries with no open issues

(Patria) - Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH Elmedin Konaković met today with the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria Alexander Schallenberg, as part of an official visit to the Republic of Austria.

The meeting discussed bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria, economic cooperation, European integration, the situation in the region, and other current topics. It was emphasized that BiH and Austria are two friendly countries with no open issues.

Konaković expressed gratitude to Austria for the overall assistance and support it has provided to Bosnia and Herzegovina to date on both bilateral and multilateral levels. He particularly thanked Austria for its strong support regarding BiH's European path and the decision to open accession negotiations.

He stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina is committed to its path towards the EU and that there is no alternative to European integration, which he sees as an opportunity to create a better social environment, economic development, and political stability for all peoples and citizens of BiH.

He highlighted the very important role of the Republic of Austria in terms of Bosnia and Herzegovina's internal stability and security, through the participation of its contingent in the EUFOR Althea mission.

He also stated that Austria is one of BiH's largest and most important trading partners in economic terms and expressed confidence that the economic cooperation between the two countries will continuously improve.

He assessed that the Bosnian-Herzegovinian community in Austria is excellently integrated into Austrian society, which represents added value to the relations between the two countries.

After the meeting, Ministers Konaković and Schallenberg addressed the media.

As part of the press conference, a handover of the one-year presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) took place, which Bosnia and Herzegovina will take over from Austria on January 1, 2025.

Minister Schallenberg officially handed over the reins of the presidency to Minister Konaković, who emphasized that the main priority of BiH's presidency of the EUSDR will be the acceleration of the European integration process, as well as policies towards youth, education, skills, and the labor market.

Responding to journalists' questions, Schallenberg emphasized that Austria strongly condemns the attacks by the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, on the OHR and state institutions.

He reminded that BiH, like Switzerland, is surrounded by EU countries and stated that the future of our country lies in the EU.

He assessed that the Americans use sanctions, and the EU uses incentives, which together should direct all political actors in BiH to act in one direction.