Željana Zovko

Objavljeno: 22.1.2021.

Zovko: EPP Group commemorates 25th anniversary of Dayton-Peace Agreement in the European Parliament and facilitates dialogue on the lessons learned

Brussels, 21 January 2021 

The European People’s Party (EPP) organised a commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement during a group meeting in the European Parliament. For this occasion, the group hosted an exchange of views with the presidents of three sister parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina: HDZ BiH President Dragan Covic, PDP President Branislav Borenovic and SDA President Bakir Izetbegovic. After the opening statements of the guest speakers, the floor was opened for interventions by the members. 

Željana Zovko, who was the initiator of the event, thanked EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber to have coordinated and hosted the commemoration. According to the MEP, this event has shown the EPP’s strong support and commitment for the European path of the Western Balkan countries, and in particular for Bosnia and Herzegovina. On multiple occasions over the past years, the European Parliament has called that institutional and legal reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina are a prerequisite for European integration. Zovko said that with this event, the EPP Group wants to build on this position by facilitating dialogue and assessing the lessons learned since the signature of the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement 25 years ago. 

Next week, the Committee of Foreign Affairs will discuss the draft annual report on Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this report the Members of the European Parliament take stock of the progress made in the country in the last year and recommend steps to take in order to advance on its European agenda. Zovko said that the exchange of views with the Presidents of the EPP sister parties ahead of the presentation of the report served the debate to find the necessary solutions. “Only by getting Bosnia and Herzegovina out of the deadlock in which the country has been for years, we can preserve lasting peace and security in South East Europe.” Zovko stated.

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