SARAJEVO – “I have come to Bosnia and Herzegovina because I believe in the EU’s future for the country. A key step on BiH’s EU path was made a year and a half ago when the European Council gave the green light for the opening of accession negotiations”, said Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement at today’s press conference in Sarajevo.
Kos is on a three-day trip to BiH to underscore the EU’s support for the country’s European future.
Addressing the media together with Borjana Krišto, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Kos stressed that “we are witnessing new challenges”, which are the result of the “anti-constitutional, secessionist legislation and initiatives in the entity of Republika Srpska”.
“The response by the EU was strong. Issues such as the Constitutional Court, the Central Election Commission, must inevitably be respected. I urge the Council of Ministers to start implementing reforms. We have also talked about this today”, she said.
Kos added that BiH “cannot afford to lose more time waiting for the 2026 elections”.
According to her, all political actors should take the steps which are necessary for the continuation of the EU accession process of BiH.
“We all know what the steps are… This includes the reform of the judiciary, adoption of the new law on courts, as well as the new law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, which would be fully aligned with EU standards, among other things, and the appointment of the chief negotiator with the EU, in order to initiate the screening process”, Marta Kos remarked.
Speaking about the importance of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, she urged BiH to adopt the Reform Agenda as soon as possible.
“Your country has unfortunately lost a year and a half by not adopting the Reform Agenda… Other countries in the regions have already benefited from the Growth Plan, and have already received significant funds from it”, Kos assessed.
She underlined that through the Growth Plan, the EU can offer the citizens of BiH some of the benefits of EU membership, including the SEPA and the abolition of roaming charges.
“The progress on the European path is the best guarantee of stability and prosperity for all people in the country… Therefore, I urge all relevant institutions to make the necessary decisions for the adoption of the Reform Agenda”, Kos said.
Borjana Krišto thanked Marta Kos for all her efforts regarding the EU path of BiH and stressed that she remained optimistic that the Reform Agenda would be adopted by the Council of Ministers of BiH by 30 September.
“I am convinced that we will adopt the Reform Agenda and that the EU institutions will be informed about it. The Reform Agenda is something that is much broader. It is more than funding, it is about the reforms, which concern all people in BiH, and that is our responsibility”, Krišto noted.
Bećirović: “Destructive actions” of Dodik slow down the reforms
Earlier in the day, Kos met with Denis Bećirović, the Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency, while Željka Cvijanović, the Serb member, decided not to attend the meeting. Milorad Dodik, a leader of the Bosnian Serbs, had announced that no representative of his SNSD party would talk to Kos.
According to Kos, she had an “important discussion with the Presidency, represented by Denis Bećirović”.
“I expressed support for BiH’s reform path and my firm belief in BiH’s EU future. BiH has shown it can advance when all political forces work towards EU integration. It is time to come together again”, she wrote on X.
For his part, Bećirović said that membership in the EU and NATO was the country’s strategic goals. In addition, he stressed that the “destructive actions of former President of the RS, Milorad Dodik, and his closest associates slowed down reform processes and endangered the constitutional order of the state of BiH”.
During her visit, Kos will also meet with the President of the Central Election Commission of BiH, Irena Hadžiabdić, and visit an EU-funded playground and clinic in Brus. In addition, she will attend the signing ceremony at the City Hall in Sarajevo for the construction of the new contemporary art museum, funded through the EU4Culture programme.
On Tuesday, 23 September, Kos will open the conference “Critical Voices Under Pressure” at Europe House in Sarajevo and participate in an event with young people and athletes from BiH. In Visoko, she will meet with Mayor Mirza Ganić, as well as city councillors. She will also visit the municipality of Vareš, which is part of the EU-funded project “Strengthening Trust and Cohesion in Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina – We Can Do Better”.
On Wednesday, 24 September, she will address the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the visit, Kos will also meet with representatives of civil society organisations, media representatives, local communities, influential women in business and young people from all over BiH.
