Bosnia and Herzegovina is taking another step towards the European Union. The European Council decided to start accession negotiations, following the increasing pressure of a group of countries led by Italy, which has made a strong call to start negotiations.
“Your place is in our European family,” European Council President Charles Michel wrote in a tweet addressed to the people of the former Yugoslav state. “Today’s decision represents a fundamental step towards the EU. It is now necessary to continue working hard to ensure that Bosnia and Herzegovina progresses steadily, as your people want.” he added.
As we read in a note, “great satisfaction” was also expressed by the Italian government, which described the launch of negotiations as a “historic decision” that Rome demanded “with conviction”. Palazzo Chigi also explains in the note: “Italy will continue to encourage and support the Bosnian government to resolutely continue the reform path it has initiated. With this decision, the European Union sends a clear and unambiguous message not only to Sarajevo, but also to other countries.” the entire Western Balkans,” he concludes.
With the start of negotiations with Sarajevo, the entire region is on the last mile of the road to EU membership. Only Kosovo is missing from the roll call. Considering the good relations between Vladimir Putin and Milorad Dodik, president of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the two political entities into which the Balkan state is divided, this move by Brussels was also necessary to counter Russia’s goals on the country.
Besides Bosnia, there are eight other countries on the way to join the union: Ukraine, Montenegro, Serbia, Moldova and Turkey, which have started negotiations, and Georgia, Albania and North Macedonia, which have gained candidate status.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
