The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Valentin Inzko, met today at the OHR with the President of the BiH Social Democratic Party, Zlatko Lagumdzija. This was the latest in a series of meetings the HR/EUSR has held with party leaders in recent weeks, focusing principally on the forthcoming elections.

During the meeting the HR/EUSR and Mr Lagumdzija agreed that the election campaign should focus on concrete issues.

“As Bosnia and Herzegovina emerges from an economic crisis in which industrial production has slumped and tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs, the first thing that candidates should be talking about in this campaign is how they are going to turn the economy around,” the HR/EUSR said, reminding that economic reforms are also part of the European integration requirements.

The HR/EUSR stressed that the International Community is not supporting any individual party but he said the International Community wholeheartedly supports the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is working to help people throughout the country fulfil their aspiration to live in a normal, prosperous country that is fully integrated in Europe.

“Citizens want Bosnia and Herzegovina to get into the European Union and they want their elected leaders to focus on creating new jobs and raising living standards,” the HR/EUSR said. “To make that happen, the election debate has to focus on what the parties are doing to implement the EU integration agenda.”