Debate: Situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Date: TUESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2021
Speaker: Anže Logar
Language: EN

The Member States share the concern about the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council on 15 November. The Council deeply regrets the prolonged political crisis in the country and condemns the blockage of the state institutions. We urge all of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political leaders to renounce provocative and divisive rhetoric and actions, including questioning the territorial integrity of the country.  The recent blockage of state institutions is unacceptable. Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are worried about the political situation. They are concerned about the problems that are vital for their lives. The continued political crisis and the persistent lack of dialogue is also taking attention away from much—needed reforms. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political leaders need to overcome the stalemate as a matter of priority and return the focus to joint efforts to move forward on reforms, which will enable the country to advance on its EU path.  I refer here to the 14 key priorities identified in the Commission’s opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s application for EU membership, and endorsed by the Council in 2019. In particular, we expect Bosnia and Herzegovina to ensure that the next election will be conducted in line with European standards by implementing Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and relevant Venice Commission recommendations, and by ensuring transparency of political-party financing. Taking into account the institutional mechanisms set up by the Dayton Peace Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to undertake further constitutional and electoral reforms to ensure quality, and equality and non-discrimination of its citizens.  The Council regrets that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitution remains non-compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights, as per the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in the Sejdić, Finci and related cases. This needs to be addressed and the Council underlines that a number of Constitutional Court decisions have yet to be fully enforced.  The Council calls for an inclusive process of electoral reform that would eliminate all forms of inequality and discrimination in the electoral process. This should be done through genuine dialogue and in line with European standards. In this regard, the Council underlines that no legislative or political steps should be taken by political actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina which would make the implementation of the Sejdić, Finci and related European Court of Human Rights rulings more challenging. Let me underline that we urge Bosnia and Herzegovina to also work with determination on implementation of the other key priorities, in particular towards strengthening the rule of law and the independence and integrity of the judiciary, as well as fighting corruption and organised crime. As regards the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, we regret the sharp decline in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s alignment, and we urge the country to reverse this negative trend.  Finally, we welcome the recent extension of the mandate of the operation EUFOR Althea, which continues to support the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in maintaining a safe and secure environment for all citizens.