Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The European Commission proposed on Wednesday to grant EU candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
EC President Ursula von der Leyen stressed in a speech that the EU has to take advantage of changes in Europe to enlarge the bloc, according to Reuters reporting.
“Wind of change is once again blowing through Europe and we have to capture this momentum,” she stated and added “the Western Balkans belong in our family and we have to make this very, very clear.”
The EC stressed in its annual enlargement report that BiH needs to reinforce democracy, strengthen the rule of law and state institutions, curb organised crime and corruption, protect media freedom and more.
According to critics, EU’s slow enlargement in Western Balkans is allowing China and Russia to strengthen their influence in the region as well as testing the patience of some applicant countries.
Von der Leyen stated that EU’s opponents see the region as “a geopolitical chessboard” and want to “drive a wedge” between Western Balkans and the EU.
Commenting on other countries in the region, the EC reminded that it previously granted candidate status to Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, stressing that the countries need to implement reforms to join the bloc.
The body called on Serbia to impose sanctions against Russia and align its foreign policy with that of Brussels. It recommended liberalisation of the visa regime for Kosovo, noting that it is the only country in the region which requires visas for travel to the West.
BiH welcomes the proposal
Bisera Turković, BiH Minister of Foreign Affairs, welcomed the EC’s proposal to grant candidate status to BiH and predicted that it will encourage the country to implement reforms required to join the bloc.
“The reviving of this process is of vital importance for the citizens and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the stabilisation of the whole region,” she stressed on social media.
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, pointed out that the war in Ukraine highlighted the importance of enlarging the EU.”It is a long-term investment into peace, prosperity and stability for our continent,” Borrell concluded.
