On his first official visit to institutions of the Republika Srpska, Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to BiH/EU Special Representative discussed much needed socio-economic reforms and the EU accession path of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the President of the Republika Srpska as well as with the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina are currently developing an initial agenda of reforms, and Ambassador Wigemark welcomed the role being played in that process by the Republika Srpska in line with its competences under the Constitution. “I am quite impressed with the Prime Minister’s resolve to move forward; the EU would like to see a more positive business climate,” he said. The Ambassador pledged the support of the EU to the process and noted that the ownership of the country’s leaders and institutions is key; the EU would not be imposing anything. He also noted that reforms in the area of the rule of law would be necessary to bring about positive transformation in the country.

The Ambassador said that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, which came into force on 1 June 2015, brought additional commitments and obligations to both sides, the EU and Bosnia and Hezegovina, and that the Republika Srpska would have an important role to play in harmonising its legislation with that of the EU. In his last meeting of the visit, with the Speaker of the National Assembly of the RS, the Ambassador underlined the importance of the legislature in holding the government to account and moving EU-compatible legislation onto the statute books.