Meeting with the Delegation of the EU Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

The President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, Dr Nenad Stevandić, spoke today in Banja Luka with the delegation of the European Union Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, consisting of Elizabeth Tomasinec, Head of the Political Department at the EU Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Aurelie Valtat , Head of the Department for European Integrations, and Simone Guerrini, Head of the EU Office in Banja Luka.

 The meeting discussed the determination of the Republic of Srpska for EU integrations and speeding up the process of accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina. President Stevandić stated that European legislation clearly states that according to the Constitution of the European Union, new countries are admitted with their specificities, and that additional conditions are counterproductive and can encourage euroscepticism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 Stevandić referred to the criticism that has been received due to the awarding of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, by the President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik, and emphasized that this award has nothing to do with the conflict in Ukraine, but that the ties between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Srpska are much older and based on the principles of gratitude for the protection of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the position of Russia in the United Nations, when it comes to the protection of the interests of the Republic of Srpska.

 Stevandić emphasized that any connection between the awarding with the conflict in Ukraine is wrong because the Republic of Srpska, neither independently nor within the framework of its capabilities in joint institutions at the level of BiH, did not question Ukrainian sovereignty and due to the statement of the Ukrainian ambassador in BiH and Croatia, it is considered inappropriate. The meeting was concluded with the understanding that the situation in BiH should be relaxed, and the process of EU integrations should be accelerated without additional burdens.