Bosnia could sign EU deal in April

Bosnia-Herzegovina could sign the SAA with the European Union in April, the EU's Enlargement Commissioner said.

Izvor: BIRN

Friday, 29.02.2008.

12:05

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Bosnia-Herzegovina could sign the SAA with the European Union in April, the EU's Enlargement Commissioner said. “I am confident that in April we should be able to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement,” said Olli Rehn on Thursday as he met members of Bosnia's tripartite presidency and the prime minister. Bosnia could sign EU deal in April SAA is widely seen as the first step towards European Union membership. Bosnia was obliged to meet certain political criteria before it could enter into its first contractual relations with the EU. Besides full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague, which is examining the most serious war crimes committed during the conflicts following the break-up of Yugoslavia, Bosnia also had to reform its two separate, ethnically-based police forces. An agreement was originally hampered by Bosnian Serb objections but last year, leaders reached a political deal on reforms known as The Mostar Declaration. "With a normal amount of political will, which exists, the police reforms should be adopted shortly,” thus paving the way for the signing of SAA, Rehn said. The reforms aim to eventually unify the police forces, but in the short-term they will focus on restructuring and streamlining them. Bosnian Premier Nikola Spiric says his country has made progress in reforms in many areas. “Me personally, and Bosnia's Council of Ministers are committed to continuing reforms so we can accelerate our process towards the EU," Spiric pledged. Haris Silajdzic, the Bosniak member of the Presidency noted that after an explicit expression of will by the EU, everything depends on local politicians. “We cannot lose this opportunity,” Silajdzic said. “Almost everybody in the EU is ready for this big step therefore I hope that we can respond properly by fulfilling our obligations and achieve the signing of SAA,” he added. His Bosnian Serb counterpart, Nebojsa Radmanovic said he personally hoped the SAA could even be signed in March since “Bosnia will fulfill its obligations in next couple of days.” “We can and we have the strength to do that, and at the end we will make that big step – called the Stabilization and Association Agreement,” Radmanovic said.

Bosnia could sign EU deal in April

SAA is widely seen as the first step towards European Union membership.

Bosnia was obliged to meet certain political criteria before it could enter into its first contractual relations with the EU.

Besides full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague, which is examining the most serious war crimes committed during the conflicts following the break-up of Yugoslavia, Bosnia also had to reform its two separate, ethnically-based police forces.

An agreement was originally hampered by Bosnian Serb objections but last year, leaders reached a political deal on reforms known as The Mostar Declaration.

"With a normal amount of political will, which exists, the police reforms should be adopted shortly,” thus paving the way for the signing of SAA, Rehn said.

The reforms aim to eventually unify the police forces, but in the short-term they will focus on restructuring and streamlining them.

Bosnian Premier Nikola Špirić says his country has made progress in reforms in many areas.

“Me personally, and Bosnia's Council of Ministers are committed to continuing reforms so we can accelerate our process towards the EU," Špirić pledged.

Haris Silajdžić, the Bosniak member of the Presidency noted that after an explicit expression of will by the EU, everything depends on local politicians.

“We cannot lose this opportunity,” Silajdžić said. “Almost everybody in the EU is ready for this big step therefore I hope that we can respond properly by fulfilling our obligations and achieve the signing of SAA,” he added.

His Bosnian Serb counterpart, Nebojša Radmanović said he personally hoped the SAA could even be signed in March since “Bosnia will fulfill its obligations in next couple of days.”

“We can and we have the strength to do that, and at the end we will make that big step – called the Stabilization and Association Agreement,” Radmanović said.

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