The final message of the visit to BiH by EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Fule, after consultations with BiH political leaders on 11 April and the cancellation of the 3rd round of High Level Dialogue, was that implementation of the Sejdic-Finci judgment by the European Court of Human Rights remains urgent. Commissioner Fuele underlined that there could be no consideration of further steps on the EU integration path of BiH until this issue of discrimination in elections to the BiH Presidency and BiH House of Peoples is resolved.

“The lack of actions of the leaders of political parties in BiH regarding accession programme of the EU will clearly endanger the process of European integration and the status of BiH as a credible EU partner. One more set of general elections opposite to the European Convention on Human Rights would also be unacceptable. They would endanger the credibility of elected officials of BiH authority. I conclude, with regret, that a lack of honest engagement of the political leaders on the abolishment of constitutional discrimination of many BiH citizens and on the harmonization of legislative with European Convention on Human Rights is extremly harmful for the citizens of BiH. I remind that it is necessary to make credible efforts on the realization of the ruling, to ensure the ratification and full implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA)”, stated Commissioner Fule.

The implementation of the European Court for Human Rights’ ruling in the Sejdic-Finci case is an issue of respecting basic human rights. As a member state of the Council of Europe – separately to the relationship with the EU – BiH has the obligation to respect human rights and a solution in this case is required.

Other pressing tasks – outlined in the Road Map devised by the BiH political and institutional leaders in June 2012 – remain to be addressed. The lack of an efficient co-ordination mechanism between the various levels of authority in BiH and the lack of a National Programme of Integration for BiH are obstacles in the process of European integration.

Commenting on BiH’s EU integration during a visit to Brcko, Head of Delegation/EU Special Representative Ambassador Peter Sorensen said: “This is a lost opportunity, not having seen an agreement being made. BiH needs to get out of old thinking. This is not ’95. This is not ’96. This is not ’97, ’98 and ’99. This is 2013. What we are talking about is Bosnia and Herzegovina being treated like a country and with all the obligations that comes with that. What you have on the table is an offer to become a fully-fledged member once you live up to the conditions. You, your politicians decide when these conditions are met. Don’t ask us to substitute for your politicians. As you have seen we are prepared to help if that is necessary. But ultimately it is Bosnia and Herzegovina as a sovereign state who decides if it wants to join the European Union.”