Political leaders in BiH sign EPP declaration supporting EU integration and rule of law

Sarajevo is hosting the two-day conference “EPP EU-Enlargement Study Visit & Conference: EPP Family in the Western Balkan Region,” during which the Declaration was signed. The central theme of the conference is the European Union enlargement process and the role of the EPP political family in advancing European integration in the region.

The Declaration was signed by the president of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Bakir Izetbegovic, the president of the Croat Democratic Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH), Dragan Covic, the president of the Party of Democratic Progress (PDP), Drasko Stanivukoviv, the president of the Croat Democratic Union 1990 (HDZ 1990), Ilija Cvitanoviv, the president of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), Branko Blanusa, and EPP President Manfred Weber.

Addressing the media, Weber said the Declaration reflects the core values advocated by the EPP as a political family and contains three key chapters relating to the future: identity and diversity, the social market economy as the fundamental principle of economic organization, and the rule of law as the foundation on which society should function.

He said the joint signatures demonstrate political will to take the necessary steps together, particularly in the context of the upcoming elections, with parties participating in election campaigns while maintaining a shared vision of the country’s future.

Speaking about the current political climate, Weber said circumstances are changing significantly and that there is renewed momentum and a genuine opportunity for EU enlargement to become a reality, particularly for Montenegro but also for other countries in the region.

He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina should therefore accelerate reforms, demonstrate readiness to implement them, adopt European standards, and ultimately join the EU on the basis of jointly agreed principles.

“We hope this Declaration will fit into that broader momentum and help make use of the opportunities that currently exist,” Weber said.

He described the Declaration as a historic next step from the EPP’s perspective and a contribution to the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I signed this Declaration as well because we, as a European political party and political family, will stand by our friends in Bosnia and Herzegovina on their European path, monitor and assess the necessary steps, and assist them throughout the process,” Weber said.

One of the signatories, Bakir Izetbegovic, said the SDA has long been part of the EPP family and feels it is treated as an equal partner within that framework.

Speaking about identity and the role of Bosniaks in the European context, he stressed that Bosniaks are an autochthonous European people.

“We believe that this component is indispensable and that European culture would not be what it is today without it. European culture is not built exclusively on Judeo-Christian values, but on Abrahamic monotheism and Abrahamic values and traditions, and Sarajevo itself is proof of that,” Izetbegovic said.

He argued that parties gathered within the EPP represent a key political force capable of strengthening EU cohesion, providing leadership, and restoring strength to Europe.

According to him, the EPP can contribute to improving relations in the Balkans and within Bosnia and Herzegovina through renewed cooperation among Bosnian political parties belonging to the EPP family and by returning the country to what he described as the only correct path – reform and European integration.

Discussing the content of the Declaration, Izetbegovic highlighted several key elements.

“The signed Declaration, among other things, underlines not only the European path but also our shared concern over continuous attacks on the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Dayton constitutional order, unequivocal respect for the Constitution as the highest legal act of the country, the rule of law, and an independent judiciary,” he said, adding that all unconstitutional or radical actions departing from the constitutional and legal framework are condemned.

He said the Declaration supports key principles of statehood and the legal order, including peace, stability, territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the multiethnic character of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and calls for the implementation of rulings of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Court of Human Rights.

The HDZ BiH President Dragan Covic said the discussion should focus on positive and constructive messages, describing that approach as the only way to strengthen the belief that the European path is the only viable option for Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite differences that he described as part of the country’s richness.

He expressed confidence that all political actors, even while engaged in election campaigns, would contribute to resolving existing disagreements so they do not remain a burden for future generations.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina has a European future that we must seize together,” Covic said.

Speaking on behalf of the PDP President and Banja Luka Mayor Drasko Stanivukovic, Branislav Borenovic said the signing of the Declaration comes at a highly challenging time and confirms the commitment to ensuring that "Bosnia and Herzegovina and all its constituent parts, becomes a member of the European Union."

“We will work hard to achieve what citizens expect from us – the rule of law, a strong economy, strong institutions, standards, criteria, procedures, and everything needed to make this a normal, well-organized society,” Borenovic said.

He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to European civilization not only geographically and economically, but also politically and culturally.

“All EU member states have preserved their identities within the Union, and we can do the same while creating sound legal solutions that will result in a better life, a stronger economy, and full rule of law,” he said.

However, Borenovic stressed that freedom of movement is currently of particular importance for Bosnia and Herzegovina, warning of major problems faced by citizens. In that context, he appealed to EPP President Weber for help in addressing long waiting times at border crossings with the European Union, while finding a balance between security requirements and freedom of movement.

The HDZ 1990 President Ilija Cvitanovic said the Declaration is based on the principle of the rule of law.

“We are talking about fair elections, social status, and the fight against clientelism. We are talking about the political organization of the state, where the Declaration clearly states that we will implement the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he said.

He stressed that it is a serious document that entails responsibility and that the public should be fully informed about its contents to ensure it does not remain merely a “dead letter,” as has often been the case in the past.

The SDS President Branko Blanusa said Bosnia and Herzegovina has no alternative to EU membership and stressed the need to intensify reform processes across various sectors.

He highlighted strengthening the rule of law and reforming the education and healthcare systems as key priorities and expressed confidence that the EPP would continue to support those efforts.

Blanusa concluded that, although EU membership is a strategic goal, adopting European values is even more important.

As part of the first day of the conference, a high-level panel discussion was held on the challenges and prospects of the Western Balkans’ European path, featuring EPP President Manfred Weber, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Kristo, High Representative Christian Schmidt, and numerous senior officials from the region.

The conference, which concludes on Tuesday, has brought together senior political representatives from the Western Balkans, the European People’s Party (EPP), the European Parliament, and partner organizations.