European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed in Sarajevo on Friday that EU enlargement would be a priority in her second term, but warned that the accession of the candidate countries would depend solely on the implementation of the reforms expected of them.

Von der Leyen was on a two-day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of her tour of the Western Balkans. On Thursday, she visited Jablanica, where 19 people died in the devastating flash floods of 4 October, while on Friday she had separate meetings in Sarajevo with the members of the country's tripartite Presidency and the Chair of the Council of Ministers, Borjana Kristo.

In March, Bosnia and Herzegovina received the approval of the European Council to open accession negotiations, but since then, due to political obstruction in the ruling coalition, the country has been unable to take any concrete steps to start negotiations.

The ruling coalition has failed to agree on a reform program as a prerequisite for access to a €6 million fund under the EU's Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. Earlier this week, the European Commission granted access to this fund for five other countries in the region seeking to join the Union.

After meeting with Kristo, von der Leyen announced further assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina in eliminating the consequences of the floods, saying that an additional €20 million would be allocated for this purpose.

Bosnia and Herzegovina shouldn't miss the Growth Plan

Despite the difficulties, Bosnia and Herzegovina has made great strides on its EU path, as confirmed by the decision to open negotiations, but there is still a lot of work ahead, von der Leyen said.

She said she was aware Bosnia and Herzegovina was working on it and believed these efforts would produce results, but stressed that this required the whole country to work together.

Von der Leyen said that enlargement would be a top priority in her second term, adding that the Growth Plan was part of this process and an opportunity Bosnia and Herzegovina should not miss, including the absorption of funding through the investment plan for the Western Balkans.

We share the same vision of the future in which Bosnia and Herzegovina will be a full member of the EU, the European Commission president said.

She noted that the accession process would continue to be merit-based, which is why it is difficult to set a specific time frame or date for each country. She encouraged each country to implement the required reforms as soon as possible.

Von der Leyen indicated that there would be no concessions, and said she believed Bosnia and Herzegovina can meet the required criteria, including aligning its visa regime with that of the EU. This is strongly opposed by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, who refuses to allow the introduction of visas for Russians.

Kristo confirmed that the European Commission has now offered an additional €20 million in aid to eliminate the consequences of the floods, adding that Bosnia and Herzegovina owes a great debt of gratitude to the European Commission for its support.

Commenting on the setbacks on the European road, she said they were partly due to the campaign for the October local elections, but stressed that she now expected progress.

Kristo said that Bosnia and Herzegovina had reached an agreement with the EU's Frontex border management agency, which is necessary for better control of illegal migration, and that it was ready for signature.

A cooperation agreement with the EU's Eurojust criminal justice cooperation agency is due to be signed next week and will be followed by the preparation of a negotiating framework for the harmonisation of disputed laws, including those on border control and elections.

“I don't see these laws as a major political issue that we cannot agree on,” Kristo said, announcing further negotiations and harmonisation, including accession to the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.