High-ranking officials of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) welcomed the European Council's decision to approve the opening of negotiations for membership in the European Union (EU).
At the summit in Brussels, the European Council approved the opening of accession negotiations between Sarajevo and Brussels, which was previously recommended by the European Commission (EC).
The Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto, thanked the European Council and its President Charles Michel for the decision to approve the opening of accession negotiations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU, reports Radio Free Europe.
In a post on the X social network, she said that this was achieved through joint efforts.
Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Denis Bećirović, pointed out that the decision of the European Council is one of the greatest achievements on BiH's path to full membership in the EU.
"Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina is starting a new and much more comprehensive process of cooperation with the EU," said Bećirović.
He added that at the same time, everyone must be aware that BiH has a lot of work to do in harmonizing its legislation with European legislation, as well as implementing reforms aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law.
Bećirović pointed out that the decision is significant for all citizens and peoples in the country and that it is a clear message to everyone in BiH that their future is in the EU.
BiH Presidency member Željko Komšić said that this is excellent news.
"We are aware that we have a huge job ahead of us and as things stand, there will be no more concessions and hiding behind the current geopolitical situation on the European continent," Komšić told the Fena agency.
The President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik welcomed the decision of the European Council and thanked the governments and parliaments of all member states on the X network.
He said that BiH is in many respects a "small EU".
The Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nermin Nikšić, in a post on Facebook, stated that the next goal is membership in the EU.
"After years of stagnation, we finally moved forward and took advantage of the hand that the EU gave us at the time," said Nikšić.
On the approval of the opening of negotiations, BiH received congratulations from the institutions of the European Union, but also from neighboring countries.
In a video message on his X account, the Chairman of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Johan Satler, stated that the decision of the European Council is a confirmation that compromise is possible and that reforms are within reach.
He said that "the work must be continued already tomorrow".
German Chancellor Olaf Solz congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina and said that "the European peace project is growing".
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, congratulated the people of BiH on the X social network and said that a bigger EU means a stronger EU.
Although Bosnia and Herzegovina has received the green light to open accession negotiations, they cannot begin until the negotiating framework is adopted.
It will be prepared when the country fulfills all 14 priorities presented by the EC in 2019.
The priorities are divided into four areas - democracy and functioning of institutions, rule of law, fundamental rights and public administration reform.
BiH has the status of a candidate for full membership in the EU from December 2022.
In December last year, EU leaders expressed their readiness to open accession negotiations with BiH and called on the EC to publish a report in March on the degree of fulfillment of key criteria.
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