Following his last meeting with the leaders of BiH’s political parties, held in mid-January in Sarajevo, Commissioner Stefan Fule reconfirmed his support, and that of the EU, to the leaders’ efforts to find a solution to the implementation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case ‘Sejdic and Finci vs Bosnia and Herzegovina’.

The EU has stated that credible efforts towards the implementation of the judgment are a condition for opening the path for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the Union to come into full force.If the SAA is put fully into force, it would represent the next substantive step by the country  in its EU integration process and put BiH in a position to consider submitting a membership application for the EU. 

After the January meeting, Commissioner Fule announced on his Twitter profile that he is prepared to come to BiH again, saying: ‘’I left Sarajevo after talks with local political representatives. I am satisfied with the job that was done. But I am ready to come back again and to help them reach an agreement’’.
 
The judgment relates to the elections for the three-member Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the state level House of Peoples. Currently only members of the three constituent peoples – and not people from other groups – are able to stand for election to these institutions.
 
It is expected that consultations between political leaders in BiH and the EU Delegation/EU Special Representative will continue prior to a further visit of the Commissioner being announced.