SARAJEVO, October 10 (FENA) – At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (MFA BiH) today, acting Secretary of MFA BiH Edin Dilberović and Director of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Dana Kovaříková, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of diplomatic training.

The memorandum was signed following a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Elmedin Konaković, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavský, who is on an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the press conference, Konaković reminded that the Czech Republic is part of the Group of Friends of the Western Balkans, seven countries that have done a lot in lobbying for the opening of negotiations with the EU.

As he added, it is a country that understands our internal structure and complexity and often helps with advice and concrete actions to ensure that our European path does not stop but accelerates.

“In several fields, we have excellent cooperation. We have no open issues, bilateral relations are at a very good level, and there is always room to improve economic relations, which we will work on diligently and dedicatedly,” said Konaković.

He expressed his gratitude for the proper cooperation in the field of education, for scholarships for BiH students at universities in the Czech Republic, as well as, for a number of projects and processes of cooperation.

“We are now facing several important processes. We discussed the Growth Plan for BiH, a very important process, and I explained that aligning the 111 measures is a significant step forward for BiH in its complex structure. I did not expect we could achieve such a high degree of alignment. Two contentious issues remain that should be a condition activating the Growth Plan, which is very important for our country, especially for the integration of the BiH market with the EU,” Konaković added.

Konaković and Lipavský particularly emphasized the importance of cooperation and support related to the education of diplomats.

“Our bilateral relations are traditionally friendly, and many things connect us, including people from Bosnia and Herzegovina living in the Czech Republic and the Czech minority in BiH. I am truly convinced that we can improve our business connections. Neighboring Serbia and Croatia have recently seen a significant increase in Czech investments, and I am sure that BiH offers many opportunities in this regard. I believe it is our task to pave the way for increased economic activity,” said Lipavský.

He added that every year, they have a budget for projects in BiH aimed at supporting the country’s European path. He mentioned that this support will continue and that the next program for the period 2024-2030 is being finalized.

“The Western Balkans is a priority for Czech foreign policy. I would like to take this opportunity to once again confirm our full support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration. We want Bosnia and Herzegovina to become a stable democratic member of the European Union, where there will be a stable balance between individual human rights, cultural and other rights of various peoples and national minorities living in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” added Lipavský.