SARAJEVO – Luigi Soreca, the head of the European Union delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, urged the country’s politicians on Friday to take decisive action and utilize the year 2025 as a pivotal moment for advancing EU membership aspirations. He warned them not to let it slip away as yet another year of missed opportunities.
In a dedicated column, Soreca reflected on the promising start of 2024, when Bosnia and Herzegovina enacted crucial reforms that led the European Council to approve the start of accession negotiations. However, he lamented that subsequent delays and obstacles have stalled progress, leaving negotiations still out of reach.
The ambassador pointed out that, in addition to failing to uphold their commitments to continue enacting necessary reform laws, BiH authorities have struggled to agree on a reform plan that would unlock one billion euros in financial assistance under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
“In 2024, we witnessed unacceptable threats to the constitutional order in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which have been condemned unanimously by the democratic community,” Soreca stated, noting his dual role as the EU’s special representative for BiH.
He described the actions of Bosnian-Herzegovinian politicians as disappointing, accusing them of prioritizing their interests over those of the citizens.
In reference to ongoing debates about the necessity of a high representative with executive powers—particularly contested by politicians from the Republic of Srpska—Soreca noted that while extensive international oversight was never intended to be permanent, the current circumstances warrant its continuation.
He made it clear that the conditions for closing the Office of the High Representative (OHR) have not yet been fulfilled; thus, as the nation progresses toward EU integration, “priority must be given to domestic solutions.”
Soreca emphasized that the responsibility for these issues rests solely with local politicians. (January 3, 2025)
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