Pammer: Political leaders lack joint vision of Bosnia in EU

N1

Austria's Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Martin Pammer, on Friday said relations between the two countries are good on all levels.

“Austria is the number one investor, a lot of people work in Austrian companies and we will continue like this,” Pammer said in N1's “Novi Dan” program.

“Like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria is a small country, not that strong of a power. It used to be, when we were united. Our time together brought on a lot of good things,” Pammer said, adding that many of Bosnians have great expectations from Austria, while Austrians are not aware of how good Sarajevo is, and how developed Bosnia and Herzegovina is “apart from the infrastructure and the highways.”

“We are trying to help and cooperate. It is a joint interest,” he said.

Pammer explained that Bosnia's path towards the European Union is a wide ranged issue, but that there is some success.

“We have to say how this issue is viewed, what the narrative is and if it is positive or negative,” he said.

“There is some progress, there are more employment opportunities. I think the political elite could put in more effort and search for compromise, especially regarding the election law. There are steps that could be taken, but we are in a period of pre-elections campaigns and the problem are not only the politicians, there are also structural issues,” he said.

“All in all, the leaders of the constitutional peoples don’t see the vision of a united Bosnia and Herzegovina within the European Union well enough,” he added.

The ambassador also announced the second Austrian Ball will take place on May 12 in the Sarajevo's historic City Hall, the “Vijecnica.”

Pammer is now serving his last year as ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina. His term will end in January 2019.”