Wigemark: BiH still has a lot of work to do, especially in the rule of law

Head of the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark met today with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH Denis Zvizdić, Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH Fadil Novalić, and Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Željka Cvijanović, with whom he discussed the implementation of the Reform Agenda for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ambassador Wigemark said that all three governments have invested a lot of effort in drafting and harmonizing their action plans, and that this is a very positive expression of commitment to reforms, as well as proof of cooperation in the interest of all citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- We see that the Council of Ministers of BiH, as well as the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska, are taking concrete steps to strengthen the economy. For the first time in many years, the country is also approaching the European Union, as significant progress regarding the Reform Agenda is one of the main criteria for submitting an application for membership.

There is still a lot of work to be done, especially in the area of the rule of law. Regarding social and economic issues, the Reform Agenda has set a high standard. Each of the areas of the Reform Agenda is important and part of the overall package. We are talking about better control of public finances, strengthening the rule of law, reducing corruption, and improving public administration, so that all citizens have better and more efficient services. All these issues are interconnected and must be resolved together.

The European Union is not trying to centralize this country, nor to change its constitution. We respect the competencies of all levels of government. We simply appeal to politicians to work together for the common good, and I think that is happening. Approaching European standards in the economy and good governance is in everyone's interest. It is a win-win situation - said Wigemark.

It was agreed at the meeting that the first report on the implementation of the Reform Agenda will be prepared and presented at a high-level meeting by the end of the year.

The meeting was also attended by numerous international and BiH officials, including representatives of the IMF, World Bank, EBRD, IFC, the US Embassy, and finance ministers.