HR/EUSR urges Presidency initiative in government formation


The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, met today with the three members of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s collective Presidency.



Mr Schwarz-Schilling used this meeting to congratulate the Presidency on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to NATO’s Partnership for Peace, to brief the Presidency on the recent meeting of the Peace Implementation Council in Brussels, and to discuss government formation.



On PfP membership, the High Representative and EU Special Representative made clear that if Bosnia and Herzegovina wishes to take its relationship with NATO further and eventually to join the Alliance as a member, full implementation of the agreed defence reforms and further ICTY cooperation would be necessary.



On the Brussels meeting of PIC Political Directors, the High Representative and EU Special Representative stressed the importance of those reforms – in particular police restructuring – necessary for concluding a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union, as well as fiscal sustainability and the establishment of a functional state.



In terms of the OHR’s transition to EUSR, Mr Schwarz-Schilling drew attention to the fact that Political Directors had noted some areas of concern, that they would be carefully monitoring and assessing the situation and that the decision on the closure of the OHR would be reviewed and confirmed in February.


Concerning government formation, Mr Schwarz-Schilling made clear that the fact that a government was yet to be formed at the State level was unacceptable. He also urged the Presidency, as the only functioning State-level institution, to take the initiative to bring together the parties to build coalitions and form a government.

Europa.ba