Six NATO, EU Countries Seek Start of Accession Negotiations with Bosnia by Year’s End

Gordan Grlic Radman(BETAPHOTO/HINA/Lana SLIVAR DOMINIC/MO)

On the initiative of Croatia, six member countries of NATO and EU called on Nov. 29 for the opening of EU accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina by the end of this year.

The foreign ministers of Croatia, Czechia, Greece, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia met on the sidelines of the NATO ministerial meeting at Croatia’s permanent office in that organization, to declare firm support to Bosnia and Herzegovina on its European path, the Hina agency has reported.

The six countries, plus Austria, which is not a NATO member, sent a joint letter to EU High Representative Josep Borrell a little more than a month ago, seeking the opening of accession negotiations with Bosnia. “We emphasize the political necessity to ensure the opening of accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina by the end of this year,” it was declared in a joint statement from the meeting of six ministers.

Croatian Foreign Minister Goran Grlic Radman stated that the meeting was held to additionally draw attention to and emphasize the strategic importance of opening the accession negotiations for the stability and security of the European continent. Unanimous agreement of all heads of state or government of EU member countries is required for the negotiations to begin.