Concerning media reports on statements attributed to Mr. Sefer Halilovic, Chairman of the House of Representative’s Committee for Investigation on spending of the Donors Funds, the European Union Delegation to BiH made the following statement:

The European Union Funds for assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina are allocated after careful analysis of the situation at national and sectoral level to identify problems, constraints and opportunities which the assistance could address taking into account the overall objective of assisting BiH to prepare for accession to EU. This is done in close cooperation with the BiH Directorate for European Integration and the respective Ministries. Financial Agreements for the implementation of the assistance are concluded every year between BiH and the European Commission, adopted by the BiH Council of Ministers and ratified by the BiH Presidency.

Rigorous checks are in place to ensure that the millions of euro committed each year are spent effectively and in an accountable fashion. EU assistance is implemented in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Union. Actions are further assessed and monitored to ensure they meet high quality standards.

The EU financial assistance to BiH is also subject to scrutiny by the EU’s Court of Auditors and the European Parliament in the context of annual discharge procedures relating to the way the European Commission executes its budget.

In the letter to Mr. Halilovic sent on March 22, 2010 and signed by the Ambassador of Spain and by the Head of the EU Delegation to BiH, a clear reply was given to Mr. Halilovic’s request indicating the proper way to have access to the related data. The European Union Delegation to BiH considers that the statements attributed to Mr. Sefer Halilovic are therefore misleading.