Bosnia and Herzegovina should be officially recognized as a candidate for membership in the EU, but only on the condition that more reforms be implemented. This is the recommendation of the European Commission.
The declaration is a strategic victory for the Balkan nation, whose delicate power-sharing structure has been in jeopardy for months due to an uptick in political infighting and racial tensions.
“Today we have proposed to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the [Commission’s] college decision,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.
“We have recognized Georgia’s European perspective too, so the wind of change is once again blowing through Europe and we have to capture this momentum.”
Bosnia has been a “potential EU candidate” since June 2003, and in February 2016 it formally submitted its application, beginning an almost two-decade waitlist for membership.
The European Council declared that it was “ready” to grant Bosnia candidate status in June of this year. The Council also requested a report from the European Commission on the execution of 14 major recommendations from the Commission’s 2019 report, including reforms to the public administration, democracy, rule of law, and other areas.
“There is no alternative, and it is in our common interest to accelerate the integration process, starting with the Western Balkans, where we have been investing for many years to bring them closer to the EU. The recommendation to grant candidate status is a historic moment for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for neighborhood policy and enlargement, as he presented the 2022 report.
According to Euronews, the report notes the “political turmoil” and “legislative standstill” that exist within the nation and demonstrates a lack of advancement in the majority of the key areas, as well as a failure to follow the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rulings regarding discrimination in electoral rights.
The decision was deemed “historic” and a “powerful message” for all Bosnian nationals, according to Bosnia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bisera Turkovi. The minister declared, “The family of Europe holds our future.”
Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Moldova are already recognized as candidate nations; if EU leaders accept Bosnia’s application, they will join them.
In July, official discussions between Albania and North Macedonia were launched. The 35 chapters of the EU membership negotiations are well-known for being difficult and protracted.
