The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called, on Friday 11 February, for a “serious and meaningful” dialogue between Bosnian leaders to ensure a long-term and sustainable resolution of the current political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina (see EUROPE 12889/8).
According to a statement from the European External Action Service, Mr Borrell spoke by phone with Bakir Izetbegović, leader of the Bosnian SDA party, Dragan Čović, leader of the Croatian HDZ BiH party, and Milorad Dodik, leader of the Serbian SNSD party.
The High Representative urged the leaders to remain committed to the talks on the constitutional and electoral reform and work towards an early agreement. The parties need to show political courage and determination to reach an agreement in time to be implemented before the general elections next October, he added. He said that the EU, together with the US, is ready to continue engaging in facilitating a balanced agreement, which addresses the concerns of all the parties and which would be in line with EU standards and would allow the country to advance on its EU path.
Mr Borrell added that the EU was willing to use all the instruments at its disposal to help the country overcome the current political crisis and refocus fully on the reforms needed, in line with the country's European perspective. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)