Brussels, 11 April 2017 – MEP Željana Zovko and Head of the BiH Mission to the EU, the Ambassador Lidija Topić, hosted this morning a working breakfast of Croatian MEPs with the BiH Foreign Affairs Minister Igor Crnadak.
The purpose of the meeting was to express gratitude to all Croatian MEPs for their continuous support to BiH on its accession path to the EU and to the country’s efforts to earn the status of a candidate-country as soon as possible.
The BiH Foreign Affairs Minister Crnadak thanked the Croatian MEPs for their year-long efforts put in supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in becoming a full member of the EU. He stressed that BiH saw no difficulties whatsoever in relations with the Republic of Croatia, with which it was connected along a border longer than 1,000 km. Crnadak further pointed out that what BiH needed on its accession path to the EU was changes to the Election Law, as it was entirely illogical that political representatives of one constituent nation – member of the state Presidency or deputies in the House of Peoples may be elected by voters of a different constituent nation.
MEP Željana Zovko said that all members of the Croatian delegation were doing their best to help BiH to become a full member within the shortest time possible. She added that changes to the Election Law should be passed before the general elections scheduled for 2018, especially if BiH aspires to earn the status of a candidate-country until the end of the year.
MEPs and the Minister discussed the questionnaire to be completed by BiH, issues related to the Rules of Procedure, media legislation, a channel in Croatian language and suspension of investments.
It was pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina might earn the status of a candidate-country until the end of the year, providing there was a will on the aspirant’s part and if all replies to the Questionnaire were considered satisfactory. Hopefully, the process shall not be unnecessarily procrastinated.
At the end of the meeting, Croatian MEPs used the opportunity to once again stress their full support to Bosnia and Herzegovina on its accession path to the EU and hope that BiH would get the candidate status and launch the negotiations within the shortest time possible.