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European Parliament Adopts Resolution on Bosnia and Herzegovina

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) that highlights several key points regarding the country’s progress, challenges, and relationships with the European Union.

Stability and Territorial Integrity

  • The Parliament calls on all countries in the region to commit to the stability and territorial integrity of BiH.
  • It condemns the use of inflammatory rhetoric.

Promoting Integration

  • The EU, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and BiH authorities are encouraged to intensify efforts in promoting the benefits of closer integration with the EU.
  • Investment in communication campaigns is recommended to combat foreign influence and malign narratives.

Counter-Hybrid Threats

  • The Parliament calls on the EU to increase cooperation with Western Balkan partners to strengthen democratic resilience and counter hybrid threats, including:
    • Cybersecurity
    • Protecting critical infrastructure
    • Food and energy security

Rule of Law and Governance

  • The rule of law, good governance, the fight against corruption and organized crime, pluralism, support for free and independent media, fundamental rights, and alignment with the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) need to be mainstreamed in EU funding for BiH.
  • IPA III funding should be based on strict conditionality.

Reforms

  • Improvements are needed in the absorption of funds countrywide, including by local and regional administrations.
  • Efficient country-wide financial management, control, and audit systems for EU funds should be put in place.

EPPO Cooperation

  • The EU and Western Balkan countries are called on to establish a framework for effective cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and accession countries.

Parliamentary Cooperation

  • The Parliament welcomes the establishment of working bodies of the House of Peoples of BiH’s parliamentary assembly.
  • Regular inter-parliamentary cooperation through the Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) is recommended.

European Political Community

  • The Parliament welcomes BiH’s participation in the inaugural and second summits of the European Political Community, but stresses that this positive initiative should not be an alternative to EU integration.

Elections

  • The Parliament regrets that elections held in October 2022 took place against a backdrop of stagnant reforms, divisive rhetoric, reported political and financial impediments, accusations of trading Polling Station Commission positions between political parties, and other irregularities.
  • Authorities are urged to take adequate measures to prevent issues with and abuses of public funds in the future.