A panel discussion on the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina was held in Vienna on Thursday, with Bosnian political leaders talking about the country's European path and the reform challenges of that journey.

The high-level panel discussion on the future of Bosnia in the context of its European path is an opportunity to send a unique message of the partners in power about their dedication to the that goal, but also for the international actors based in Vienna to better understand the complexity of internal relations in the country, said Bosnian Ambassador in Vienna Sinisa Bencun.

Dragan Covic, the leader of the HDZ BiH party and the first deputy speaker of BiH House of Peoples, said on this occasion that he is sure about positive response when it comes to Bosnia's EU integration.

“We must prepare BiH for the process related to parliamentary democracy,” said Covic during the event, pointing out as the “biggest test” for Bosnia and its EU path the way of the election of the Presidency members.

Covic does not recognise current Croat member in the tripartite Presidency and claims he was elected owing to the Bosniak votes. Although there is no way to prove that, current legislation does not ban one ethnic group in the Federation entity to vote for a candidate of another ethnic group (Bosniaks and Croats). The Serb Presidency member is elected in other entity, Republika Srpska.

“The Croat people are deprived of having their own representatives in the diplomatic network. On the other hand, the Constitution precisely defines the monetary role of the Presidency. Equally, the Croat people have been deprived of these appointments for 16 years,” Covic stressed and added that this can be corrected by amending the Election Law.

He also touched upon the role of the international peace envoy in Bosnia, the High Representative who oversees the implementation of the peace process after the 1992-95 Bosnian war. He stressed that the path to the EU does not go with the institution of the High Representative.

“I am convinced that the opening of the negotiation process basically means the displacement of the institution of the High Representative from BiH, but also of the influence on the Constitution and laws in BiH,” Covic concluded.

Nermin Niksic, the SDP party leader and prime minister of the Federation entity, said after the panel discussion that all in BiH are moving towards the same goal. He stressed it is time for the idea that there is no alternative to talk, agreement and compromise to finally mature.

“Not everyone who dedicatedly worked on the path to obtaining negotiations and membership in the EU was with us today, but I want to say that without the firm commitment of all of us, this process would not have been possible to bring us to the threshold of opening the negotiations. Even today there were different views, of course each of us has our own point of view, but we remain committed, and that is perhaps the biggest gain in this period that is behind us, that even when we do not think the same and when we disagree, we talk. Together, we are looking for ways to approach each other in terms of attitudes and how to solve open issues, without them being open hostilities, quarrels and divisions,” he underlined.

Niksic expressed hope that Bosnia will get the green light to open the accession negotiations, which would relax internal relations.

Speaking about the talks on the Law on Courts in BiH and why the Appellate Division cannot be in Banja Luka, which is one of the main points of disagreement among the coalition partners, he emphasised that it is a political issue on which no agreement has yet been reached, and that compromise implies that no one wins 100 percent or that no one loses 100 percent.

He suggested that the institution could, instead, be located in East Sarajevo. Both Banja Luka and East Sarajevo are towns in Republika Srpska entity, the former in the country's north and the latter just in the vicinity of Bosnia's capital city of Sarajevo.

“If divisions, conflicts and arguments were positive, we would be world champions and probably the leading country in the European Union. I sincerely hope that the awareness that conversation and compromise is not a weakness, but the exact opposite, will slowly mature in BiH as well. The agreement is the desire to implement what we promised to do everything to make it better for all of us. The recommendation for opening negotiations is a success, but we still have to work on fulfilling obligations and opening chapters. It is encouraging that the efforts we have made have been recognised in the EU. Unfortunately, Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the first place of two lists where you definitely do not want to be the first one, in terms of corruption and the departure of the population. That is why our goal, instead of our people going there, is to bring the EU to Bosnia and Herzegovina. That is why we are ready to do everything to create the preconditions for stimulating people to return from the diaspora; that is, to support those who are here to stay in their country. We want to reach the final goal together – through work and conversation, and on that path we greatly appreciate the help of our friends from the international community,” Niksic posted on social media.

Milorad Dodik, the SNSD party leader and president of Republika Srpska entity, also took part in the panel discussion, noting that The European path of each country is self-sufficient and independent and without any foreign influences, which “does not apply in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

“Either we will act in European manner or not. That talk that something beautiful and historic is happening means nothing. Apparently, Bosnia and Herzegovina got this status, let's not be mistaken, because earlier the EU went ahead and gave that status to Ukraine. Now it seems a little silly that Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been approaching the EU for 20 years and is doing everything on the way, while Ukraine is at war and does not have a unified territory, is being accepted or is in the process of negotiations,” Dodik said.

He stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina is an “unreachably positive example for Ukraine.”

“That's why they decided to give us something,” according to him.

As for the panel discussion, Dodik noted that this was an opportunity to say certain things in a limited time, and that he thinks that the discussion and everything that came together is exactly that.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina is about to talk about the date, but there are still unresolved issues, namely the international administration. There is no example of someone going towards the European Union with an international administration, and that question, when that date is obtained, that is, if it is obtained, will be the first thing that will have to be resolved or Europe will have to say that it can move forward with this international administration and that it is a new European standard,” he said.