Bosnia and Herzegovina's Foreign Minister attended the “Visegrad 4 plus Balkans 4 plus” (V4+B4+) meeting at Cape Sounio, near Athens, Greece where he talked about the EU’s enlargement towards the Western Balkans, strengthening the energy cooperation as well as the coordination between the EU member states.

“The EU's expansion towards the Western Balkans’ is the most significant process for the future of the region because it provides long-term stability and opens the region to faster economic development,” Crnadak said. “However, Bosnia’s biggest challenges are its internal relations because we have to strengthen our institutions in the fight against corruption, we have to create a fairer society and increase investments in order to improve our citizens’ living standards. Only then will the European future and the Euro-integration process yield results for our citizens.”  

During his address, Crnadak also stressed that this is a very important year for Bosnia’s EU integration Process. He added that the Berlin process and the Western Balkans 6 Initiative (WB6) brought a positive momentum for regional cooperation, especially through various projects which are expected to have a significant economic and social effect.  

The Berlin Process is a diplomatic initiative linked to the future enlargement of the European Union. The Berlin Process was initiated in order to consolidate and keep the dynamics in EU integration process in the light of increased Euroscepticism and the 5-year stoppage of expansion announced by Commission President Jean Claude Juncker.

It aims to support Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia in strengthening regional cooperation and driving sustainable growth and jobs. The Berlin Process is also known as the Western Balkans 6 Initiative.  

The Visegrad Group (V4) consists of Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland while the Balkans Four plus (B4+) consists of EU member states from the Balkans, Greece, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria. Bosnia was invited to attend the meeting as a potential EU candidate country.  

During the “V4+B4+” meeting, Crnadak will hold bilateral meetings with the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Sizjjarto. They are planned to discuss bilateral activities and continuation of Bosnia’s EU integration process.