Slovak FM: Politics pushing Bosnia away from EU

Bosnia's main problem are political games, Slovak Foreign Minister Jan Kubis said in Bratislava today. Unsolved Kosovo status has the same effect, he added. Slovak FM: Politics pushing Bosnia away from EU Slovakia's Council for Security will it its Friday session discuss the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, TASR news agency reported. One of the reasons behind this decision is the fact the high international representative in Sarajevo, Miroslav Lajcak, is himself Slovak. Kubis also announced that the recently resigned Serb member of Bosnia's presidency, Nikola Spiric, will arrive for a visit to Bratislava on November 21. "A man with perfect knowledge of the Bosnian situation is arriving in Slovakia, who will give us precise information about the overall political situation in that country," Kubis said of Spiric, who resigned in disagreement with Lajcak's latest measures. "The political conflict that is going on there has in itself caused Bosnia-Herzegovina to switch to a slower lane when it comes to the cooperation with the EU. The same goes for unsolved Kosovo status issue," Kubis said. Meanwhile, his countryman Lajcak has also spoken to domestic Slovak media to say that the EU apparently cares more about Bosnia's European integration than does Bosnia itself. The high representative was quoted by STA agency as saying that this was "an absurd situation." Jan Kubis (Beta) "It takes two to tango, and Bosnian politicians have not managed to do their share of work." Lajcak said he believed that politicians in that country favor a status quo that will allow them to hold on to what they have, while any change would represent risk. "I am renewing the unit designed to fight corruption and organized crime. One of its roles will be to examine the politicians' links with the underworld," Lajcak announced. He commented on the conflict that broke out between his office and the Republic of Srpska by saying he understood that official Belgrade felt the need to comment onn events in Bosnia-Herzegovina. "But I accept only concrete claims, not baseless accusations, built on top of a tower of cards, rejected also by the international community," the Slovak diplomat said. He also described Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica as someone who behaves like a politician rather than a legal expert. "Note how Kostunica consistently avoids mentioning Bosnia-Herzegovina, always talking about protecting the Republic of Srpska," Lajcak said. Miroslav Lajcak (FoNet)

Slovak FM: Politics pushing Bosnia away from EU

Slovakia's Council for Security will it its Friday session discuss the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, TASR news agency reported.

One of the reasons behind this decision is the fact the high international representative in Sarajevo, Miroslav Lajčak, is himself Slovak.

Kubiš also announced that the recently resigned Serb member of Bosnia's presidency, Nikola Špirić, will arrive for a visit to Bratislava on November 21.

"A man with perfect knowledge of the Bosnian situation is arriving in Slovakia, who will give us precise information about the overall political situation in that country," Kubiš said of Špirić, who resigned in disagreement with Lajčak's latest measures.

"The political conflict that is going on there has in itself caused Bosnia-Herzegovina to switch to a slower lane when it comes to the cooperation with the EU. The same goes for unsolved Kosovo status issue," Kubiš said.

Meanwhile, his countryman Lajčak has also spoken to domestic Slovak media to say that the EU apparently cares more about Bosnia's European integration than does Bosnia itself.

The high representative was quoted by STA agency as saying that this was "an absurd situation." "It takes two to tango, and Bosnian politicians have not managed to do their share of work."

Lajčak said he believed that politicians in that country favor a status quo that will allow them to hold on to what they have, while any change would represent risk.

"I am renewing the unit designed to fight corruption and organized crime. One of its roles will be to examine the politicians' links with the underworld," Lajčak announced.

He commented on the conflict that broke out between his office and the Republic of Srpska by saying he understood that official Belgrade felt the need to comment onn events in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"But I accept only concrete claims, not baseless accusations, built on top of a tower of cards, rejected also by the international community," the Slovak diplomat said.

He also described Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica as someone who behaves like a politician rather than a legal expert.

"Note how Koštunica consistently avoids mentioning Bosnia-Herzegovina, always talking about protecting the Republic of Srpska," Lajčak said.