Insisting on European standards and accelerated implementation of reforms are of crucial importance for the Western Balkans region in order to prepare it for membership in the European Union (EU) as soon as possible, Bosnian Foreign Affairs Minister Igor Crnadak said on Tuesday speaking at a panel 'Western Balkans – Europeisation, Democratisation, Shared Responsibility' within the Bled Strategic Forum held in the Slovenian resort.

Each of the EU member states should in the meantime, the minister said, create such an atmosphere of having the Western Balkans integrated into the EU before the time framework mentioned in official documents.

He stressed that the EU membership is the country's most important foreign policy goal and that this should be a strategic commitment of new authorities.

Speaking about the situation in Bosnia, Crnadak said that the government formation is a top issue in the country at the moment and that he hopes the agreement of political leaders from August 5 on this matter will be implemented before the deadline for that expires, which is on Thursday.

Minister Crnadak met on the sidelines of the forum with US Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer, who reiterated the US support to the implementation of reforms in Bosnia and the country's road to EU.

The 14th Bled Strategic Forum held under auspices of the Slovenian Foreign Affairs ministry has gathered guests from Europe and beyond to discuss from 31 August to 3 September the top challenges the continent and rest of the world are facing.

The event is held under the slogan (Re)Sources of (In)Stability.