Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday, where he is set to hold a series of meetings with the country's senior officials.

Rutte was welcomed at Sarajevo International Airport by Bosnian Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konakovic.

As announced by the Delegation of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rutte will stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina for two days, and will be accompanied by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic.

The visit follows the European Council decision in December 2023 that EU accession negotiations will be opened with Bosnia and Herzegovina, once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved. The European Council also invited the Commission to report to the Council on progress at the latest in March 2024 with a view to making a decision. The visit is aimed to encourage the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to seize this opportunity and step up their efforts to make the necessary progress on the 14 Key Priorities of the European Commission’s Opinion by March 2024. In addition, the visit will also serve to discuss the opportunities offered by the European Commission’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

While in Bosnia and Herzegovina, President von der Leyen, Prime Minister Rutte and Prime Minister Plenkovic will meet the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Chairwoman and Deputy Chairs of the BiH Council of Ministers, the BiH Foreign Minister, the Joint Collegium of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly as well as representatives of civil society.