The “Enhancing the Role of Parliaments in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Context of EU Integration” twinning project launched in the BiH Parliamentary Assembly

 
The launch of the “Enhancing the Role of Parliaments in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Context of EU Integration” twinning project, to be implemented over the next two years by the national assemblies of Hungary and France in co-operation with over 100 experts from 12 Member States, was officially marked today in the Grand Hall of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH PA).

Peter Sorensen, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to BiH and EU Special Representative emphasized that the EU is proud to finance this project and he expressed his conviction that the project will gather parliaments in BiH together to jointly and efficiently meet the challenges inherent to the European integration process.

Financed by the EU’s IPA funds and involving the BiH PA, the Parliament of the Federation of BiH (PFBiH), the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (RSNA) and the Brčko District Assembly of BiH (BDA), the goal of this project is to strengthen those capacities of members of parliament and parliamentary administrations in BiH necessary for strategically guiding the EU admission process. In addition, it will enhance the harmonization of BiH legislation with EU laws and will introduce more efficient oversight functions, enhancing the co-operation and co-ordination of BiH parliaments in these processes.

In presence of the Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, Laslo Kover, the Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with BiH of the French National Assembly, Marcel Rogemont, and the EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Peter Sorensen, attendees were addressed by the Speaker of the House of Peoples of the BiH PA, Dragan Čović and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA, Božo Ljubić. Mr Čović and Mr Ljubić expressed their appreciation of the EU and the consortium of Hungarian and French parliaments for their engagement in the implementation of this project and they emphasized the consensus and dedication of all leading politicians, as well as citizens, to the process of BiH’s European integration.

Laslo Kover, the Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, expressed his certainty that the successful implementation of this project and the recommendations of European experts will help to establish a unique BiH inter-parliamentary model; one which will help parliaments to efficiently adopt decisions, control governments and involve civil society in the European integration process.

Attendees were also addressed by the Speaker of the House of Peoples of the PFBiH, Tomislav Martinović, the Acting Speaker of the House of Representatives of the PFBiH, Tomo Vidović, the Speaker of the RSNA, Igor Radojičić, and the Speaker of the BDA, Đorđa Kojić, who jointly confirmed that all legislative institutions will actively participate in project implementation, as well as in the process of BiH’s European integration. (end)