BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: EU's New Bosnia Strategy Welcomed

EU Council of Ministers today discussed the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina at its session in Brussels.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn presented a comprehensive EU strategy for Bosnia during the meeting, which was welcomed by the ministers.

The strategy will comprise six points. Tajug news agency has seen this document, which says its goal is to “secure the stability within Bosnia-Herzegovina and to continue progress regarding key reforms”.

Both Rehn and Solana emphasized that Bosnia faces unique challenges and that strong international engagement, "and use of all the EU mechanism, including the active EU engagements,” are needed for the country to continue its path toward the EU.

The essence of this proposal is for Bosnia to embark on a transition from the Office of the High Representative (OHR) toward stronger local self government with the EU support.

The EU officials note in the documents that the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) signing was a positive step forward, but that, “unfortunately it did not prevent the worsening of the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last couple of months.”

"The international community’s and the EU’s objective is that Bosnia becomes a stable, peaceful multiethnic country, decisively following its EU path,” the six-point document says.

The first point concerns EU’s strengthening engagement in Bosnia.

"The EU integration represent something all the Bosnian leaders agree upon. This fives the EU unique influence and responsibility,” the document claims.

The second point refers to the presence of the EU and mandate of the EU Special Representative "that should be stronger in order to reflect on the situation in the field", while the deadline for this is set at mid-2009.

The third point regards a new UN Security Council Resolution. “This resolution will be needed to end the High Representative’s mission and to solve the issues deriving from the Dayton/Paris Accord,” the document states.

The fourth item speaks about maintaining a strong international engagement in Bosnia, which proved vital and important, something that needs to continue after the OHR mandate expires, the EU document reads.

The fifth point regards the overall use of all the EU’s instruments available, “the EU partnership and the SAA implementation should be the reform guidelines”, it reads.

The sixth point describes “EU’s clear position on the constitutional evolution”.

The document states that the constitution reform is "a condition neither for the closing of the OHR or for Bosnia's further road toward the EU. However, the constitutional framework must progress in order to secure efficient state structures that will work on EU integrations, including the need to speak one language".

The six-point proposal concludes that while Brussels can help with that process, "it will have to be led by Bosnia-Herzegovina itself".

Source: B 92