EU Ambassador Soreca hails ‘enormous step’ as €976.6 million BiH Reform Agenda gets green light

Following this approval, Luigi Soreca, the EU Ambassador and EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), stated:

"The Reform Agenda for Bosnia and Herzegovina is now approved! This is the result of a lot of hard work by BiH officials and public servants as well as their EU counterparts. It involved months of tough negotiations, dialogue, consensus, and constructive decision-making by political actors in the public interest."

Ambassador Soreca described the adoption as an "enormous step for the country," but cautioned that the work is only just beginning. "BiH now needs to deliver on the reforms its authorities have agreed on. For each reform delivered, there will be investment, up to a total of €976.6 million."

He confirmed that a first tranche of €68.4 million in pre-financing will be paid soon after the BiH authorities ratify the Facility Agreement and Loan Agreement. The EU official stressed that "progress is possible when there is political will."

The Ambassador expressed hope that the "same spirit of consensus that led to the adoption of the Reform Agenda will also guide progress in adopting the two judiciary laws and appointing the Chief Negotiator and team, so as to move forward on the EU path."

The overall Western Balkans Growth Plan commits €6 billion for the region in investments, contingent upon structural reforms. With this approval, all six Western Balkan partners now have Reform Agendas in place and can benefit from the Facility as they advance toward EU membership. Bosnia and Herzegovina now needs to swiftly sign and ratify both the Facility and Loan Agreements before the allocation of funding, including pre-financing, can commence.