Bosnia and Herzegovina's Economy Suffers Solely from Council of Ministers' Ban on EU Citizens

(Patria) - Denis Bećirović, Vice-President of the SDP BiH and delegate of the SDP BiH in the state House of Peoples, requested that a point be added to the agenda of today's session of this house: Information from the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the economic and other consequences of closing Bosnia and Herzegovina's state border for EU citizens and for the Bosnian diaspora.

Bećirović explained the need to supplement the agenda with the mentioned item by stating that by closing state borders for EU citizens, the Bosnian diaspora and the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially its tourism sector, have been primarily punished.

Additionally, Bećirović noted that since the beginning of May, together with his colleague Ahmed Husagić from the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO), in the interest of the domestic economy and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he has advocated for opening BiH's borders for EU citizens and the Bosnian diaspora while adhering to all necessary measures.

Instead, Bećirović emphasized, the Council of Ministers of BiH made a unanimous decision to introduce reciprocity towards the EU and ban entry for EU citizens into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bećirović pointed out that the EU will not suffer any damage from such actions, but only Bosnia and Herzegovina will suffer economic damage and political consequences. Noting that the EU provided the most assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina during the pandemic, Denis Bećirović asked how and with what resources our country can compete in reciprocity with the EU?

SDP BiH Vice-President Denis Bećirović said that it is indicative that the mentioned decision of the Council of Ministers of BiH was made after Milorad Dodik's visit to Russia. In conclusion, Bećirović stated that by this action, the Council of Ministers of BiH has sided with the political forces in BiH led by Milorad Dodik, which aim to distance Bosnia and Herzegovina from integration into the EU and NATO, and move closer to certain Eurasian integrations.