Sanctions on BiH fast-tracked at EU ministers' meeting

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - EU Defence and Foreign Ministers will discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina and the sanctions regime today at a meeting in Brest due to obstruction of the Dayton Accords and secessionism.

The meeting in Brest will discuss the 'Strategic Compass' – the bloc's latest attempt to formulate an appropriate defence strategy. It is a document outlining the EU's defence ambitions and is one of the key outcomes of France's presidency of the Council of the EU, expected to be agreed upon by leaders in March.

According to Politico.eu, "there is also a new mention of the situation in Bosnia, which was not in the previous draft" of the meeting's conclusions.

The new version states: "It is in our essential interest to support Bosnia and Herzegovina as a single, whole and sovereign state and to move forward in the EU-led dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade."

It is evident that the situation in BiH is a cause for growing concern in Brussels circles. The possibility that foreign ministers would discuss the situation in BiH by the end of this month had already been announced. It was speculated that our country would be on the agenda at the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting on January 24.