This Op-Ed, authored by Ambassador Peter Sorensen, was originally published in the dailies ‘Oslobođenje’ and ‘Večernji list’ and at the portal ‘Buka’

“A day will come when you France, you Russia, you Italy, you England, you Germany, you all, nations of the continent, without losing your distinct qualities and your glorious individuality, will be merged closely within a superior unit and you will form the European brotherhood.”

Who said this? Given that on 9 May we are observing Europe Day, you might think these are the words of Robert Schuman, the former French Foreign Minister who is best known for making the Declaration of 9 May 1950 that is now seen as the first step in establishing what we know today as the European Union.

In fact these words were spoken 100 years earlier – by Victor Hugo at the Paris Peace Congress in 1849.

So the idea of a peaceful, prosperous, diverse and secure Europe has a long history and has occupied some of the greatest minds on the continent. Hugo, Churchill, Schuman… all have seen the pressing need for mechanisms of strong co-operation between the countries of the continent that also leave the countries to maintain their own traditions.

Looking back from today, indeed we can say that the European Union has made achievements in the promotion of peace, democracy and prosperity. Today 500 million EU citizens live in an area in which they can travel and trade freely, live securely and make choices about their lives.

EU Member States cherish democracy but they also know it must be safeguarded both in Europe and in the world. In particular safeguarding democracy means promoting the indispensability of human rights – that’s why human rights are the thread that runs through our EU common foreign policy today. This is, of course, why we take the issue of eliminating discrimination in the elections to the BiH Presidency and House of Peoples (the so-called ‘Sejdic and Finci’ issue) very seriously indeed. Every citizen should have the right to be elected. But not only this – we will continue to work for the human rights of all citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This is not about political correctness. It is about improving citizens’ lives. The citizens of the EU are in many ways in a better position than the Europeans of 1950. The EU standards that have been introduced over time in the 27 Member States have a practical purpose – better healthcare, better education, safer food and drink. We want Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens to share these benefits, and in the process we believe that making reforms will bring more investments and more jobs for everyone in this country.

The European Union will remain strongly committed to the people of the countries which have a clear perspective for membership. 660 million Euro were allocated to Bosnia and Herzegovina through Instrument of Pre-accession (IPA) alone in the years 2007 – 2013. We will continue to find ways to help the country to realise what we believe is its rightful place in the EU.

Victor Hugo foresaw that “A day will come when the bullets and the bombs will be replaced by votes, by universal suffrage…” His vision is becoming reality for us today. Nevertheless, the future has its challenges too. That is why the EU is tackling issues such as cyber security, energy and water security. The EU is developing stronger relationships with partners in international organisations, the United Nations and various regional organisations, so that we can be a full player in dealing with these issues on a global scale.

Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU are building the future together. In that spirit, I warmly invite you to join us at any of our events around the country during this year’s Europe Week: an art exhibition in Zenica (May 9th), a rock concert in Banja Luka (May 10th), a kids’ event in Brcko (May 11th) or the 4km-race in Sarajevo (May 12th).

As we celebrate Europe Day, we also celebrate our common goal as expressed by Hugo: “…the extinction of misery inside and of war outside”.

I wish you a happy Europe Day!