The international conference „Role of the European Movement in Society and European integration process“ took place in Sarajevo today. H.E. Ambassador Dimitris Kourkoulas, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to BiH, addressed participants at the opening ceremony together with European Union Special Representative/High Representative, Miroslav Lajcak and ambassadors of the Republic of Slovenia, Republic of France, Republic of Germany and the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH

Reminding of the role that the European Movement International has played in the process of European integration by exercising its influence on European and national institutions and mobilising the people towards the EU, Ambassador Kourkoulas expressed his hope that the European Movement in BiH would find the strength to face that huge challenge. Civil society has a central role to play in the EU integration process of the candidate or potential candidate country and their transformation into modern European democracies, said Ambassador Kourkoulas and reiterated that the European Commission has put an emphasis on development of civil society dialogue in its Enlargement Strategy. EU financial support to civil society activities in the Western Balkans and Turkey will amount to 130 million Euro for the period between 2008 and 2010.  

Talking about the concrete benefits that citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina would have following the BiH signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU, Ambassador Kourkoulas stressed five key areas: human rights protection and fight against the organised crime, free trade area, stable and predictable legal environment for potential EU investors, expansion of trade with EU that would lead to job creation and the fact that SAA would be a gateway to a candidate status. Once again, I just want to reiterate our commitment to European future of this country for the benefit of all its citizens, concluded Ambassador Kourkoulas.

Ambassador Miroslav Lajcak supported the work of the Conference adding that in the European Integration process, non-governmental sector had to be organised and capable to play active role in all process and to be reliable partner to the state.

Other ambassadors in their opening remarks commended the establishment of the European Movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina and outlined the significance it should have in the European integration process of the country.

The Conference is organised with the support of the Delegation of the European Commission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Group of Visegrad and Embassies of the Republic of Slovenia, Republic of France, and Republic of Slovakia.

For more information about European Movement in BiH, please visit  www.eminbh.org