Lovrinović: BiH should become an EU candidate

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The Chairman of the Joint Committee for European Integration of the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of BiH, Nikola Lovrinović, stated that if he were to briefly assess BiH's European path in 2021, he regrets that a good energy that emerged on the horizon mid-year was not utilized.

He noted that at the time, there was an agreement, primarily between the parliamentary majority parties, to try to resolve three important challenges among the 14 priorities from the European Commission's Opinion. He reminded that these were the law amending the Law on Public Procurement, the Law on Conflict of Interest, and amendments to the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC).

- We were on the right track to agree on this, to get a certain parliamentary majority, and to fulfill these three important priorities, in addition to several others that were fulfilled in 2020, such as the elections in Mostar, the removal of the death penalty provision from the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska, the formation of the Parliamentary Committee for Stabilization and Association, and the adoption of its rules of procedure. There were some moves, and it seemed to me that with these three laws, we would have a credible effort on the path to EU membership - stated Lovrinović.

However, he added, the events currently unfolding have halted all of that. The only thing that was achieved is that the law amending the Law on Public Procurement passed the procedure in the House of Representatives, and the procedure in the House of Peoples of the state parliament follows.

Lovrinović emphasizes that he is one of those who believes BiH should obtain candidate status, adding that he is doing everything in his power, as the Chairman of the Joint Committee for European Integration, to contribute to this.

- Why do I say this? It is unnecessary for us to wait to wait again. Obtaining candidate status does not mean automatic membership. That is still years away and involves a series of obligations ahead of us. Only then do we actually open reform processes and our obligations in the parliamentary procedure, to align our regulations with all the chapters that are opened when candidate status is obtained - explained Lovrinović, adding that this is why he insists on it.

He says that it is often stated in public that this is unrealistic, that we have not fulfilled the 14 priorities, but that regardless of all that, he believes that Bosnia and Herzegovina should be granted candidate status. He noted that he initiated a declaration in the House of Representatives of the state parliament, "where European parliamentarians are asked to help us in this regard with the European Commission.".

- It is clear that 2021 is already coming to an end and that nothing will come of it. I still hope that it will be possible in the first quarter of 2022, that some of these conditions will be met, and that we will truly reach a situation where we make credible efforts to obtain candidate status - said Lovrinović.

He notes that he would like this to happen because, in his opinion, it would strongly open up reform processes.

Then, he believes, it will be impossible to avoid, to not support certain legal solutions in parliamentary sessions that are aligned with European standards, if we open chapters.

- So, then we will see if this general support for BiH's European path is truly genuine, or if it is just a pretense. I hope it is not a pretense and that, if we get candidate status, we will truly be in a position to strongly open reform processes in BiH, respecting what we are obliged to do by opening chapters in the process that is known when becoming an EU member - stated Lovrinović.

When asked what can be expected in the coming year, given the current political crisis in BiH, he replied that he thinks that at this moment, unfortunately, there are several top political topics in the ether and "a part of these political topics has, in a way, halted the work of the houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.".

- This situation makes no sense anymore. Simply, something must happen, we must resolve these few issues in some way, and we must move forward. And that means moving forward towards BiH's candidate status for EU membership. I truly hope for that. I will continue to work on that path, with the declaration I proposed and as the Chairman of the Joint Committee for European Integration of the PA of BiH - concluded Lovrinović.