Discussion held between Members of the Joint Committee for European Integration and the Delegation of the Committee for European Affairs of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic

 
Members of the Joint Committee on European Integration of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Fehim Škaljić and Ljilja Zovko, met today in Sarajevo with the Delegation of the Committee for European Affairs of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, led by the Chairman of the Committee, Vaclav Hampl.

In pointing out that the place of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other Western Balkan countries is in the European Union, the visitors from the Czech Republic stated that Czech parliamentarians are strongly lobbying to speed up the European integration process of BiH.

Czech parliamentarians stressed the need to strengthen co-operation between the two parliaments and improve economic and trade co-operation between BiH and the Czech Republic.

In emphasising the commitment of all BiH institutions regarding EU and Euro-Atlantic integration, the members of the Joint Committee on European Integration stated that by the end of this year, once the implementation of the Reform Agenda is improved and principles of the mechanism of co-ordination of different levels of government are defined, BiH will be able to submit a credible application for EU candidate status.

It was agreed that the acceleration of the European path of BiH and of other countries in the region is significant in the context of regional and global deterioration of the security situation, as well as for the resolution of the current migration crisis. It was also stressed that it is necessary to strengthen the economy and create new jobs in BiH and in the other countries of the region as part of the EU-accession process.

During the meeting, views and experiences were exchanged on the competences and roles of the two Committees in the area of European affairs, and it was stressed that there is a need to strengthen the role of the Joint Committee on European Integration of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the process of EU integration of BiH. (end)