The EU has decided to grant Bosnia candidate status

On Tuesday, December 13, the ministers of European affairs of the 27 EU countries, which will be held in Brussels, will have to decide on the issue of granting the candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will be the first stage of the long process of membership of these Balkan countries. A positive decision, which requires unanimity, seemed likely, according to diplomatic sources, a week after the summit in Tirana, which the EU “reaffirmed his commitment” To the prospect of integrating the Western Balkans into the alliance. The ministers’ green light on Tuesday will be confirmed by the 27 leaders at an EU summit on Thursday.

In October, the European Commission recommended that member states grant this status to this country of 3.5 million people, mired in poverty and political instability, and facing separatist threats. EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell emphasized that it is necessary“create a positive dynamic”noting that the Ukrainian war gave a “New geopolitical meaning”. to expansion “A long-term investment for the peace, prosperity and stability of our continent”. European Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varheli invited the leaders of this country “To make the most of this historic opportunity and quickly implement the measures mentioned in it (h) suggestion” of the commission. The latter set 14 priorities for reforms that remain “The key to the opening of membership negotiations”..

Bosnia is divided between a Serbian entity, the Republika Srpska, and a Muslim-Croat federation linked to a weak and often paralyzed central power. This complex political system is a legacy of the Dayton Peace Accords, which ended an intercommunal war that killed 100,000 people between 1992 and 1995. “This candidate status (Bosnia) should have been given several years ago. Of course, we understand that this acceleration of the march to the EU is happening due to certain geopolitical circumstances.”Želka Cvijanović, a Serbian member of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency, is expected on Monday, according to the N1 TV website. “It is time for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina to receive a positive message from the European Union.”On December 8, Denis Becirovic, a Bosnian member of the tripartite presidency, was also tried on FTV public television.

The beginning of a long process

In its October assessment, the European Commission noted that the blocking of state-level institutions by the Republika Srpska structure until 2022. “has led to a virtual paralysis of reforms” in Bosnia. In particular, it highlighted the lack of progress in the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. While the EU is asking candidate countries to align with its foreign policy, the European executive has also noted this “The authorities and parties of the Republic of Srpska took a neutral stance towards Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine (…), which hinders its full implementation.” Sanctions against Moscow in response to the war in Ukraine. Pro-Russian nationalist Milorad Dodik, who was installed as the president of the Serbian organization in late October, has been subject to US and British sanctions after repeated separatist threats in recent months. He has often said he would oppose Bosnia’s march to the EU if it followed the path of greater state centralization.

Recognition of candidate status is only the beginning of a long process. The next step, which also requires the unanimity of the Twenty-Seven, is the opening of formal accession negotiations, which takes time, as candidate countries must incorporate a large number of European legislative acts into their national legislation. Seven countries are already officially candidates for EU membership: Turkey (1999, the process is now frozen), North Macedonia (2005), Montenegro (2010), Serbia (2012), Albania (2014), Ukraine and Moldova (2022). Kosovo has announced its intention to apply for membership by the end of the year.