Page 56 - bne Magazine February 2023

56 I Southeast Europe bne February 2023
EU ministers agree to grant Bosnia candidate status
bne IntelliNews
EU general affairs ministers agreed on December 13 to give Bosnia & Herzegovina accession candidate status.
The decision, which still had to be endorsed by EU leaders on December 15, comes amid increased emphasis on enlargement following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was a top priority for Slovenia that has been pushing to give Bosnia candidate status for months.
In October, the European Commission decided to recommend that the EU grant Bosnia candidate status despite its slow progress, in an attempt to strengthen Western influence and weaken the Russian influence in the politically divided Balkan state.
European Commission and member state officials confirmed the decision to back candidate status for Bosnia, the fifth of the six Western Balkans countries to become an accession candidate, on December 13.
“Good news: Council recommending candidate status for Bosnia and Herzegovina is a message to all citizens of BiH that their future is in the EU. Looking forward to the European Council’s endorsement,” Josep Borell, EU’s High Representative on Foreign Affairs, wrote on Twitter.
“Steadfast progress on reforms is key to take this perspective forward,” he added.
“Europe delivers! Today we reached another milestone in the [EU] Enlargement Policy. Council agreed
to grant candidate status to Bosnia
and Herzegovina,” wrote Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi on Twitter.
“EU path is open! We have high hope & expectations that 14 key priorities
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will be delivered for [Bosnian] citizens’ benefit,” he added.
The EU’s special representative to Bosnia, Johann Sattler, noted that the decision was a message to Bosnian citizens who strongly support the
EU membership and a clear message to politicians to quickly form state institutions and start implementing key reforms.
Bosnia was expected to be granted candidate status, despite concerns over the lack of reforms in recent years.
Given the calls for secession from
the Serb-dominated entity Republika Srpska, and the ties between Republika
Srpska President Milorad Dodik and Moscow, granting candidate status increases Bosnia’s integration with the EU and helps to counter Russian influence in the country.
Future reform progress is still uncertain, however, given the slow formation of governments at state and entity level following the October elections.
Meanwhile, Milorad Dodik, the secessionist pro-Russian leader of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska refrained from comments on the EU’s decision.
On the other hand, Bisera Turkovic, state-level foreign affairs minister, said
“Good news: Council recommending candidate status for Bosnia and Herzegovina is a message to all citizens of BiH that their future is in the EU”