ZAGREB, 4 Sept (Hina) – Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in Sarajevo on Wednesday that Croatia’s priorities in relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) remain unchanged – preserving its stability, supporting it on its journey to EU membership and protecting the rights of ethnic Croats as a constituent people.
Plenković is on a two-day working visit to BiH, the first of the kind in his third term as prime minister.
Today he held a meeting with BiH Prime Minister Borjana Krišto, after which talks were held in a broader format, involving Croatia’s Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković,В Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman, and Culture and Media Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek.
Plenković told reporters that the friendly relations between the two countries are unquestionable. BiH is Croatia’s most important neighbour and it was only logical to send that message by visiting Sarajevo, he said.
“We want to provide constant and firm support to BiH on its journey to the European Union,” Plenković said.
He said he expects a new phase, marked by more resolute implementation of reforms in BiH, to begin.
Croatia intends to support BiH in that process and that is why an agreement on European partnership was signed with BiH, as part of which a commission, including Croatian experts, will work to help BiH in the negotiating process.
Another joint session of the two countries’ governments is planned in order to step up cooperation, Plenković said, recalling that bilateral trade has been growing steadily, making Croatia the most important foreign trade partner to BiH.
Plenković underlined the need to adopt reform laws, including a law on elections.
“It is crucial for the good functioning of all BiH institutions. We believe that all three constituent peoples should be equal,” Plenković said, stressing that the current model of election of BiH Presidency members creates a bad atmosphere and harms mutual relations in BiH.
He commended efforts made by BiH in the construction of infrastructure, including the construction of the Vc corridor, adding that it is also in Croatia’s interest and that Croatia will complete the motorway section running through its territory by spring 2025.
The Croatian prime minister repeated the offer for BiH to obtain natural gas via Croatia and the new gas pipeline running from Zagvozd, Croatia, to PosuЕЎje, southern BiH, on which BiH needs to reach an internal agreement.
“We want an internal consensus and are willing to help reach it,” Plenković said.
BiH stands a good chance of continuing its journey to the EU because the new European Commission is again led by the European People’s Party and Ursula von der Leyen as a proven advocate of EU enlargement, he said, adding that he would like BiH to be among the countries that would be part of the enlargement process in the next five years.
Election campaign slowing down everything
Croatia was among the member states that strongly advocated BiH’s being given candidate status and a date for the launch of membership negotiations, which happened in March, but since then internal disputes have prevented significant progress in the implementation of reforms necessary for the official launch of the accession process.
Quarrels among politicians in BiH have grown frequent since spring, resulting in failure to adopt the reform programme, which should enable the country to access a fund worth six billion euros, designed as support for the EU’s new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
The laws set by the EU as a condition for the official opening of accession talks, including the law on courts, have not been adopted either, and BiH still does not have the negotiating framework nor has it appointed its chief negotiator.
Some of the key politicians in BiH, media and analysts attribute this to the campaign for the 6 October local elections, noting that the rhetoric and actions will change once the elections are over.
BiH Prime Minister Krišto confirmed the assessment that reform processes in the country are blocked, noting that she has been trying to help unblock them.
She expressed hope for progress after the elections, including on the election law, noting that the issue of legitimate representation of constituent peoples at all levels of government should be finally resolved.
Počitelj bridge
During the visit to Sarajevo, the Croatian prime minister held a separate meeting with the leadership of both chambers of the BiH Parliament.
After visiting Sarajevo, the Croatian government delegation led by PM Plenković will travel to the southern city of Mostar to attend the opening of a new bridge on the motorway that is part of the corridor Vc at Počitelj.
The bridge should facilitate travel from BiH to Croatia because it is an integral part of the already built modern road connecting to Croatia’s Dalmatina highway.
Meetings with representatives of the Mostar city authorities, the head of the city university and the head of the Mostar Hospital, whose work Croatia supports financially, are scheduled for Thursday.
