The House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina has adopted laws on border control and personal data protection, two legislative acts crucial for securing a date to start Bosnia and Herzegovina's negotiations with the European Union.
The provisions of the Border Control Law, proposed by the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regulate key issues of border management and align them with the existing legal framework of the European Union. Its adoption is essential for obtaining a date to open accession negotiations with the EU. The Personal Data Protection Law was also adopted in its first reading.
The adoption of these laws followed a heated debate, and at the start of the session, it was decided that the Border Control Law would be discussed under an urgent procedure. Eleven delegates voted in favour, four were against, and none abstained.
The Border Control Law was supported by the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), the opposition from the Republic of Srpska entity, the People and Justice party (NiP), Zlatko Miletić, Ilija Cvitanović, and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Opposing the law were the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), the Democratic Front (DF), and the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina (SBiH), Anadolu reports.
Interestingly, SNSD delegates, who had strongly opposed this law in the House of Representatives, voted in favour of the same law.
Soreca on the Laws
The Head of the EU Delegation and Special Representative of the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luigi Soreca, also addressed this issue in his column. He noted that the voting results were a welcome sign that the European path remains a priority on which different political actors agree.
"The adoption of these laws is important as they bring tangible benefits to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also significant that key EU-related legislation could be passed despite the ongoing political crisis."
He added that, while a certain level of caution remains, "at the same time, we dare to hope that this is a sign that political actors recognise what is fundamentally important for the country at this moment on its European path."
Soreca reiterated that if Bosnia and Herzegovina meets certain achievable conditions, an Intergovernmental Conference to open accession negotiations could be held in the coming months.
He stressed that a few more steps remain for Bosnia and Herzegovina to take, such as adopting the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and appointing the chief negotiator and the negotiation team.
"The preparatory work is complete, and the final outcome is within reach. Now, it is a matter of political will to cross the last few metres to the finish line. The European path is the best guarantee of prosperity and stability for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The country is geographically at the heart of Europe and is culturally and historically a European nation. Arguments suggesting that Bosnia and Herzegovina should direct its future towards countries on other continents and in different time zones do not hold," Soreca stated.
He underlined that Bosnia and Herzegovina is the closest neighbour of a prosperous and democratic Union of 27 member states, with high standards in the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, human rights, and environmental protection. The EU is also a consistently loyal partner and the largest provider of aid.
