Bundestag member and CDU party rapporteur for Bosnia and Herzegovina Peter Beyer said following the meetings with Bosnia's senior officials in Sarajevo that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to overcome the dysfunctionality of its state institutions in order to advance on the path to the European Union.

The subjects he discussed in the meetings with Bosnia's representatives focused on the country's EU path and the upcoming elections.

He stressed that a country that wishes to join the Union needs to do something to join, and in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina this means overcoming the dysfunctionality of its institutions.

Bosnia as well as other five Western Balkan countries belong in the EU, not only geographically, Beyer noted, adding however that the EU candidate status cannot be granted just like that.

To make that happen, he said, Bosnia must meet 14 priorities set by the European Commission.

Asked about potential use of Bonn powers by the international community's High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the electoral legislation, Beyer said that he fully trusted Christian Schmidt both as high representative and as a person. However, he added, “we do not know if he will use the Bonn powers.”

As for the upcoming elections set for October 2, the Bundestag member said he would like to see democratic election and a fair process as well as impeccable campaign.