C 47/96
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
7.2.2023
Wednesday 6 July 2022
43.
Calls on the BiH authorities to increase efforts in setting up the Common Regional Market for deepening integration across the Western Balkans, and in establishing and guaranteeing free movement of persons, goods, services and capital in the region as a stepping stone in the EU accession path; emphasises that all regional economic cooperation schemes in the Western Balkans should be inclusive and acceptable to all six countries, establishing cooperation on an equal footing, while strengthening further alignment with EU standards and the EU acquis; expresses, in this context, its caution towards the Open Balkan Initiative, which does not encompass all six countries, and is convinced that it should be based on EU rules and contribute to the EU integration processes;
44.
Recalls the need to adopt improved state-level laws on gas and electricity, renewables, energy efficiency and climate, leading to a sustainable socioeconomic transition from coal and a significant mitigation of energy poverty, and to step up environmental and nature protection and ambition towards a green transition through the harmonisation of environmental laws and the adoption of an environmental protection strategy; urges the BiH authorities to ensure greater alignment with EU standards and policy objectives on climate protection and energy, in line with the European Green Deal and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans;
45.
Calls on BiH to finish the preparation of the National Energy and Climate Plan in line with the necessary 2030 energy and climate ambition;
46.
Notes some positive developments with regard to environmental protection initiated by local environmental and civil society organisations; urges BiH to respect its citizens’ calls for the protection of rivers, notably in the construction of infrastructure projects, and other public goods;
47.
Expresses its concern over ongoing plans to increase coal energy production capacities; calls for more efforts in order to achieve a climate-resilient and sustainable energy transition based on renewables, energy efficiency and energy market integration, steering investment and providing support for workers who need reskilling; urges the BiH authorities to opt out from new coal generation facilities financed by China that are contrary to EU State aid rules and the country’s commitments in the context of the Green Agenda;
48.
Recommends focusing public investment on sustainable projects aimed at advancing the social market economy, facilitating the green and digital transitions and reducing severe air pollution, including in its transboundary nature, and making full use of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans; underlines the need to significantly improve ex ante environmental impact assessments with the meaningful involvement of local communities, civil society and independent experts with a view to increasing transparency, and the need for more efficient prosecution of environmental crimes;
49.
Stresses the importance of respecting BiH’s sovereignty when implementing infrastructure projects in BiH, notably projects involving companies from third countries;
Rule of law
50.
Underlines that the rule of law and judicial reform are the backbone of a democratic transformation, ensuring legal certainty, transparency, access to justice and non-discrimination;
51.
Calls for urgent action to tackle widespread selective justice, state capture, nepotism, cronyism, high-level corruption and criminal infiltration, including through the long-overdue legislative updates on judicial integrity, asset verifications, conflict of interest, public procurement, access to information, witness protection and restructuring of state-owned enterprises; reiterates the urgent need for judicial reform across BiH to improve the professionalism and integrity of the judiciary based on the 14 key priorities and the 2019 Priebe report recommendations, ensuring its full institutional and financial independence, resolving the large backlog of pending cases, and strengthening the monitoring of performance of judiciary actors; deplores the obstruction of such reform by holders of political and judicial office;