The amount of time spent on seeking consensus for the establishment of Bosnia's government following the October 2018 election is disappointing, US Ambassador to Bosnia Eric Nelson said in an interview with Fena and Srna news agencies.

“We want to see the formation and convening of a new Council of Ministers as soon as possible, we want to see a parliament that functions and sits regularly, and the formation of the Federation entity authorities and governments in cantons so that everyone is committed to implementing reforms. We need to take steps that lead forwards, not backwards,” Nelson emphasized.

He recalled that time is ticking away and that people are leaving the country because of the stagnation caused by the lack of progress in reform implementation, which is why people are leaving to live and work abroad, arguing that they are “voting with their feet.”

Nelson confirmed that Bosnia has a strong partner in the US who will continue to provide strong bilateral support in the country's progress.

Commenting on the fact that he met with Bosnia's Bosniak and Croat presidency members, Sefik Dzaferovic and Zeljko Komsic, but not with the Serb member of the tripartite Presidency, Milorad Dodik, he said that the US is always ready to help Bosnia but recalled that Dodik is under US sanctions for his actions which Washington say as violations of the Dayton Peace Agreement which ended the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia.

The US Ambassador also mentioned China and Russia's influence on the Western Balkans noting that the US is closely monitoring Russia's influence because they see their moves as destabilising and that China often leaves their partner countries highly indebted.