The document outlining Bosnia and Herzegovina's Growth Plan, submitted to Brussels, does not meet the European Commission's criteria for acceptance, Radio Free Europe (RSE) has learned from well-informed sources in Brussels.

According to these sources, the document submitted by Bosnia and Herzegovina is incomplete and fails to incorporate the European Commission's recommendations fully. The country missed the deadline for submitting a comprehensive reform agenda required to secure funding from the EU's Growth Plan for the region.

On Tuesday, September 17, Bosnia and Herzegovina sent a document to the European Commission, which, despite claims by the Chair of the Council of Ministers, Borjana Kristo, does not constitute a reform agenda. Kristo stated that the submission showed the country's commitment to the necessary reforms for receiving assistance under the European Growth Plan.

Western Balkans countries must submit a reform agenda to access funding from the Growth Plan. These reforms cover key areas such as the rule of law, democratic governance, institutional changes, corruption prevention, and conflict of interest management. Additionally, steps must be taken to ensure that the allocated funds are not misused.

The absence of a proper reform agenda from Bosnia and Herzegovina was a key reason for the postponement of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) Committee meeting. This meeting was intended to review and evaluate the reform agendas of all Western Balkan countries.

Originally scheduled for September 17, the IPA Committee meeting has been postponed to October due to the delayed response from Sarajevo, according to RSE sources. Without the adoption of a reform agenda, no initial payments from the Growth Plan can be made to any country in the region.

For the disbursement of funds, EU member states and the IPA Committee must give a positive evaluation of the reform agendas. Once this step is complete, the European Commission can formally adopt the agendas and finalize grant and loan agreements with the beneficiary countries, leading to the first payments.

On September 18, European Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero indicated that there is no specific timeline for the commencement of the payments, though the Commission hopes to expedite the process.

The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans represents the European Union’s most ambitious financial initiative for the region, with a total value of six billion euros. Its goal is to double economic growth across the Western Balkans over the next decade.