On October 18 2007, the first of twenty-two events entitled “Together with Europe” was held in Banja Luka. Other events will be held this year and next year in the municipalities of Bihac, Prijedor, Modrica, Tuzla, Pale, Gorazde, Mostar, Siroki Brijeg, Livno, Jajce, Rudo, Foca, Neum, Grude, Brcko, Bijeljina, Zenica, Doboj, Trebinje, Bileca and Sarajevo.

The “Together with Europe” events are financed by the European Union and implemented by the Centre for Security Studies and the non-governmental organisation KYODO, which implement the EU Info Centres. The Directorate for European Integration of BiH (DEI) and European Institutions have assisted them in the organisation.

The objective is to provide more information to citizens and the non-governmental sector about the European integration process and the requirements that BiH must fulfil on its European path. Ambassadors of European Union Member States and DEI representatives will be present at the events and expound on these topics. 

Dr. Jasmin Komic, deputy Mayor of Banja Luka and Dr. Milorad Zivanovic, Dean of the Faculty of Law in Banja Luka, welcomed the participants to the first event.

The mayors of the municipalities involved then signed the “Declaration on the European Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina” as a sign of support to the European integration process.

Mr. Andre Lys, deputy Head of Delegation of the European Commission to BiH, gave an overview of European assistance to BiH, from Humanitarian Assistance to the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), and reviewed the status quo of all Western Balkan countries on their path towards European integration, stressing that all these countries had to work hard in order to fulfil EU conditionality and that BiH should follow the same example and make sure it does not lag behind. He added that over 70% of the population wants this country to join the EU and it is necessary for the political leaders to make the country’s EU future a top priority. He explained the responsibilities that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) will entail, as well as the benefits that the country will reap, notably in terms of trade or access to EU funding for research, health, education, sport, culture, social policy, employment and the environment. Once BiH is in a position to apply for EU membership and be accepted as a Candidate Country, it will qualify for additional funding for economic and social development, infrastructure and rural development. He stressed that the prospects are bright, if BiH takes its destiny in its own hands.

Mr. Osman Topcagic, Director of the Directorate for European Integration, reviewed the country’s achievements and outstanding challenges in the European Integration Process.

Participants were then able to address their questions directly to the speakers and join the discussion.