The European Union supports the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU's senior official Josep Borrell said in talks with Bosnia's Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic in Brussels on Wednesday.

The officials discussed among other topics the country's path to EU membership and High Representative Borrell “encouraged Bosnia and Herzegovina to use 2021, as a non-election year, to advance decisively on the implementation of the 14 key priorities of the Commission’s Opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU membership application,” according to the statement by European External Action Service.

He welcomed recent positive steps in the reform agenda and underlined the EU's commitment to support BiH in further advancing on its European path.

Good to meet #BiH Foreign minister @BiseraTurkovic. Positive steps in reform agenda, but BiH needs to further advance from Dayton to Brussels. Cooperation on #Migration and EU support to the region in tackling consequences of #COVID19 will continue.

➡️ https://t.co/ZPvcFPHZdT pic.twitter.com/jTrdCBSCpu

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) March 11, 2021

Speaking of the pandemic and vaccine procurement process, which Bosnia is lagging behind in, Borell recalled of the €70 million EU grant package for the Western Balkans made available by the European Commission to help cover the cost of some doses procured by EU member States.

They also discussed support through the COVAX Facility. The EU, as TEAM Europe, is one of the strongest supporters of the COVAX facility, with more than €2.2 billion (including €1 billion EU funds).

As for the issue of migrations, High Representative Borrell recalled the migration crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the beginning of 2021 and emphasised the importance of “establishing a sustainable migration and asylum system, with a fairer sharing of responsibilities across the country.”