Minister Pusić: From initiative to new EU policy towards Bosnia

The British-German initiative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, launched on Croatia’s incentive, has turned into a European project and represents a big chance for Bosnia, said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić at a press conference

The British-German initiative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, launched on Croatia’s incentive, has turned into a European project and represents a big chance for Bosnia, said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić at a press conference.

“Croatia, of course, full supports the transformation of said proposal into an EU policy for Bosnia and Bosnia’s EU perspective. I see this as an exceptionally important step and a big chance for Bosnia, as well as a chance to stabilize this part of Europe,” Pusić said. She added that the initiative, which requires not only a proactive role of the European institutions but a very active role on part of Bosnia as well, had met with positive response by the newly-elected Bosnian officials as well. All three members of the presidency advocate a European path for Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as its EU membership.

Pusić explained that the initiative, accepted at the Monday FAC meeting, did not lower the criteria but wanted to make sure that Bosnia would be able to meet them. She recalled that four years had passed in which criteria had remained the same, yet there had been no progress. “The new approach for Bosnia does not imply the lowering of criteria, but rearranges their order provides a more optimistic and realistic approach to them,” Pusić said, adding that the first point of the initiative was a written pledge on part of Bosnia’s leadership that EU-oriented reforms would be conducted. “We have proposed that this written obligation take the form of a new governments’ programme and that it pass the newly-elected parliament, and that proposal has been accepted. The new EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, assumes personal responsibility for that process and will soon visit Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Pusić, announcing a discussion on BiH at the Council’s meeting in December.

Asked whether the European Commission’s proposal that Bosnia is revoked trade benefits if it did not extend the agreement to Croatia was still on the table, Pusić said that it had nothing to do with the new approach and that it included, among other things, cooperating with Bosnia on fulfilling that obligation.

“The Hague Tribunal should react to Vojislav Šešelj’s rhetoric, which harms Serbia and its relations with the neighbours as well as its European path, and should reconsider his release,” the minister said. “The public opinion is being infused with the same rhetoric that led to war crimes in the ‘90s, and that is unacceptable. The Hague institutions should react and bring him back into custody”. Pusić added that she had warned her EU colleagues about the situation that had arisen following Šešelj’s release and that his aggressive warmongering was detrimental to the positive changes that had been taking place as a result of the European process in the region. “They agreed that such a position should be condemned and High Representative Mogherini is also expected to react,” Pusić said, calling on her Serbian colleagues to condemn Šešelj’s rhetoric.

Pusić also commented on her official visit to Portugal, Croatian football hooligan’s incidents in Milan and other topics. 

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