European Union (EU) expects to see a proper holding of local elections this year in Bosnia, including Mostar, as well as improvements of electoral standards, EU Delegation in Bosnia said following a meeting of the EU ambassadors in Sarajevo with members of Bosnia's tripartite Presidency on Monday.
Johann Sattler, Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative accompanied by EU Heads of Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina met with the Presidency members to discuss efforts on how to use the political momentum to move the country forward on its EU accession path, in light of the 14 key priorities from the Commission Opinion on Bosnia's EU membership application.
The first key priority from the Opinion identifies the need to ensure elections are conducted in line with European standards. “We expect to see the proper holding of local elections this year, Mostar included, as well as improvements to the democratic processes and electoral standards,” EU Delegation said following the meeting.
“The EU continues to underline that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to see tangible economic reforms, making the BiH economy fit for Europe. We stand ready to support BiH authorities on all reforms they undertake to advance the country’s modernisation and its ability to take on the obligations of EU membership,” it added.
Meeting the #BiH Presidency together with ?? MS Heads of Mission. Focused discussion on #EU path, economic reforms and on reconciliation. Key messages: 1. use the political momentum. 2. #EU door remains open. ???? pic.twitter.com/UDh7YdfFE3
— Johann Sattler (@josattler) February 3, 2020
Ahead of the EU-Western Balkans summit in Zagreb in May 2020, the Delegation said, Bosnian leadership should seize the opportunity to demonstrate its readiness to improve the lives of citizens and undertake genuine efforts to address reconciliation and overcome the legacy of the past, “as an inevitable element of the EU accession process. Success in this endeavour is important both for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Europe as a whole.”
