The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated on October 14 in Sarajevo that Bosnia and Herzegovina must urgently appoint a chief negotiator in order to hold the first intergovernmental conference and officially begin EU accession negotiations.
Von der Leyen emphasized that the appointment of this key figure is the responsibility of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions, but stressed that it needs to happen as soon as possible so that “the necessary activities can begin without delay.”
Her visit followed the Council of Ministers’ decision on September 30 to approve the Reform Agenda Draft, a crucial document for accessing around €900 million in loans and grants under the EU Growth Plan.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Borjana Krišto, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers, von der Leyen recalled that “a year and a half ago, the European Council made a historic decision to open accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
“I congratulate you on adopting the Reform Agenda. Now it is our turn to assess it; the next step will be moving toward final approval for the funds,” she said, adding that Bosnia “has come a long way and now stands on the threshold of the European Union.”
Von der Leyen also underlined that the future of all communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina lies in the European Union, noting that EU enlargement is not only a political issue, but also one of heart, will, and people’s voices.
“According to recent surveys, 72% of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens trust the European Union. Young generations want to live in a united Europe, and our task is to make that possible,” she added.
Chairwoman Borjana Krišto expressed hope that there will be political responsibility regarding the country’s EU path, stressing that “this process must not be divided between the government and the opposition, but pursued through shared commitment to the European Union.”
Krišto also informed von der Leyen about preparations for the Berlin Process summit, scheduled for next week, noting that agreement on freedom of movement using ID cards has not yet been finalized.
Earlier in the day, von der Leyen met with members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina — Željko Komšić, Željka Cvijanović, and Denis Bećirović — and visited the Potočari Memorial Center near Srebrenica, where she reaffirmed that the European Union will always remember the Srebrenica genocide and “will never allow a new history to be written about it.”
