Lajčak: No positive developments in BiH since my last visit
Nothing positive has happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina since my last visit two months ago, Miroslav Lajčak, Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia in the European External Action Service, told a press conference held at the EU Delegation to BiH on Thursday
During the last visit, Lajčak expressed his expectations that government on the state level would be formed soon and that it would be a reform- oriented government that will take country more firmly towards the EU. However, it has not happened yet. Therefore, as Lajčak said, Catherine Ashton – High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice- President of the Commission asked him to visit BiH again and see the current BiH situation regarding the formation of state Government.
„It is not up to us to decide which parties will form the Government, but it is important that these parties have a strong support from electorate and from the BiH Parliament. We want the government to represent a driving force towards the reforms“, said Lajčak. He added that the message from Brussels to BiH politicians was not to represent interests of political parties but to stay orientated towards the reforms and EU integration while forming the government.
„My mission here is to have meetings and discussions with party leaders in BiH – 15 of such meetings were foreseen – and to then inform Catherine Ashton and the EU Members on the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina“, he said. According to Lajčak, the political atmosphere in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the moment is under a strong influence of the decision made by the National Assembly of Republic of Srpska (NSRS) to announce referendum. „That will be among others, one of the central themes of the meetings with the political leaders“ said Lajčak.
The position of the EU on the decision of NSRS is that it represents a step in the wrong direction, an irresponsible and a bad decision, said Lajćak and added „It doesn’t solve any issue. On the contrary, it opens new questions, ruins the atmosphere, creates mistrust and it moves BiH further away from the European Union“.
Lajčak added he expects High Representative to BiH Valentin Inzko to show initiative and to propose a plan for solving this situation since he has a full support from the EU and from the international community. Lajčak said that he wouldn’t get into the measures that the High Representative is going to undertake, but he is fully convinced that the EU and the international community would react to the decision on
During his visit, Mr. Lajčák met with BiH Presidency and the leaders of BiH political parties in Sarajevo and Banja Luka as well as the PIC Steering Board Ambassadors to discuss political situation and the country’s European integration process.
