Luigi Soreca, Head of the EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, recalled that on 21 March 2024 the European Council gave the green light to open accession negotiations with BiH, but that two years later, instead of a new beginning, it appears that another missed opportunity is on the horizon.
In a column submitted to the media, he writes that missed opportunities come at a cost, and that "the risks of inaction for BiH are no longer abstract."
After the European Commission approved the Reform Agenda, slow European integration continued, reforms were missed, and Soreca also mentions lost opportunities for economic and political progress, as well as falling behind neighbouring countries.
"Deadlines related to the Reform Agenda of the Growth Plan continue to be missed. There is now a very real risk that we will, unfortunately, witness a reduction in the funds allocated to BiH in the amount of up to 976.6 million euros of much-needed investment under the Growth Plan," said Luigi Soreca.
He assessed that this money could make a huge difference for citizens, and that failing to use such opportunities is inexplicable, even irresponsible.
Soreca pointed out that in the current highly unstable and uncertain geopolitical environment, there is strong momentum towards EU enlargement, and that some candidate countries, in the region and beyond, have used the new geopolitical context to make significant progress on their European path.
"Unfortunately, the same level of political will and ambition is lacking in Bosnia and Herzegovina," he said.
He emphasised that member states, or those currently leading on the path to membership, did not view the building of functional institutions, strengthening the rule of law, and the fight against corruption as "requirements from Brussels," but as the foundations of a state that functions in the interest of its own citizens.
According to him, without this, economic growth remains insufficient, public trust weakens, and young people continue to leave.
He added that comprehensive reforms would improve the business environment and attract investment, stating that the citizens of BiH deserve the same standards and opportunities as citizens across the EU.
"We believe that now is the right time for political will and action by the authorities. An election year should not be an excuse for the absence of concrete action. A genuine commitment to ensuring the benefits of EU membership for citizens requires that EU-related reforms be placed high among political priorities," Soreca concluded.
(EUpravo zato)