The proposal to grant EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova is a clear message to the two countries that they can count on EU membership, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said following a closed session of parliamentary committees on foreign policy and EU affairs. He said that Bosnia and Herzegovina also deserves a political message of support at the EU summit.

During the joint session of the committees, the MPs unanimously approved resolutions outlining Slovenia's foreign policy prior to the European Council session on Thursday and Friday, when the EU leaders are to decide on whether Ukraine and Moldova would be granted the candidate status, said Golob.

“For the first time in history, the European Commission has not taken a technocratic approach, in the sense of presenting the conditions for EU candidates and only after fulfilling them to start talks at the political level,” said the Prime Minister after the meeting of both committees.

“We believe that BiH is the one that deserves the strongest political message of support”

Golob sees the summit as an opportunity for progress of the Western Balkans, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina on its European path.

“We believe that BiH is the one that deserves the strongest political message of support,” said the Prime Minister, emphasising that just as Ukraine is not responsible for a savage war, Bosnia and Herzegovina is not responsible for the situation it is in today.

“In our opinion, Bosnia and Herzegovina deserves special treatment and a clear message of support. We understand their internal challenges, but we want them to become candidates for EU membership as soon as possible,” he said.

Golob announced last week during a visit to Brussels, where he also met with European Council President Charles Michel, that he would propose granting BiH candidate status at the EU summit.

In a letter to Michel, President of Slovenia Borut Pahor also proposed the same initiative.