EU, Bosnia could initial SAA by end of year

The Mostar Declaration and the Sarajevo Agreement could be the basis for initialing the EU's SAA. This was revealed by the European Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, as he met Tuesday in Brussels with High Representative Miroslav Lajcak. EU, Bosnia could initial SAA by end of year Lajcak said, after a meeting with the European Parliament's Foreign Policy Council, that the goal of Bosnia, along with Serbia, and Montenegro, is to continue integrating into the European Union. He confirmed his readiness to use his “authority as long as the political and institutional deadlock exists.” The Slovak diplomat said that the steps he has taken will lead to the ending of the impasse within the central government and that they do not violate the regulations of the Dayton Agreement, or the constitutional rights of the three nations and two entities of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Lajcak stressed that it is important to find constitutional solutions in Bosnia as well, because in his words, Dayton is the status quo, and does not represent progress. He said that a new constitution will be very hard to develop, but not impossible, adding that it must be a “domestic product.” The Republic of Srpska accepts Bosnia-Herzegovina, under the condition that it is recognized as a partner, Lajcak said. He said that “there is a problem of trust between partners and that is the reality that we must deal with.” “But there is also good reason to believe that Republic of Srpska officials feel like a part of Bosnia-Herzegovina and what they are asking for is to stop the acts of questioning whether the Republic of Srpska is a main pillar of Bosnia-Herzegovina,” Lajcak said. The Republic of Srpska's stance on the international scene, Lajcak said, is that there are two entities and that the state does not have the right to bring the existence of any either into question. The high representative said that a common trade system must also be implemented, adding that he has "no idea" how some leaders in the country do not realize that their action narrows the road towards European integrations.

EU, Bosnia could initial SAA by end of year

Lajčak said, after a meeting with the European Parliament's Foreign Policy Council, that the goal of Bosnia, along with Serbia, and Montenegro, is to continue integrating into the European Union.

He confirmed his readiness to use his “authority as long as the political and institutional deadlock exists.”

The Slovak diplomat said that the steps he has taken will lead to the ending of the impasse within the central government and that they do not violate the regulations of the Dayton Agreement, or the constitutional rights of the three nations and two entities of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Lajčak stressed that it is important to find constitutional solutions in Bosnia as well, because in his words, Dayton is the status quo, and does not represent progress.

He said that a new constitution will be very hard to develop, but not impossible, adding that it must be a “domestic product.”

The Republic of Srpska accepts Bosnia-Herzegovina, under the condition that it is recognized as a partner, Lajčak said. He said that “there is a problem of trust between partners and that is the reality that we must deal with.”

“But there is also good reason to believe that Republic of Srpska officials feel like a part of Bosnia-Herzegovina and what they are asking for is to stop the acts of questioning whether the Republic of Srpska is a main pillar of Bosnia-Herzegovina,” Lajčak said.

The Republic of Srpska's stance on the international scene, Lajčak said, is that there are two entities and that the state does not have the right to bring the existence of any either into question.

The high representative said that a common trade system must also be implemented, adding that he has "no idea" how some leaders in the country do not realize that their action narrows the road towards European integrations.