Members of the PA BiH Friendship Group for Neighbouring Countries met with members of the Slovenian National Assembly's Foreign Policy Committee

Members of the Friendship Group for Neighbouring Countries of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PA BiH), Mia Karamehić-Abazović and Slavko Matić, along with delegate in the House of Peoples of the PA BiH, Marina Pendeš, on behalf of the Chair of the Friendship Group, Dr. Dragan Čović, held a meeting with members of the Foreign Policy Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, led by the Chair of that Committee, Predrag Baković.

During the meeting, it was observed that the two countries maintain friendly relations, supported by a strong dynamic of institutional contacts at the highest level. The Slovenian guests informed their counterparts from the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PA BiH) that the Friendship Group for Bosnia and Herzegovina is the largest in the Slovenian Parliament, indicating significant interest among lawmakers to join this group. They underscored the importance of enhancing inter-parliamentary co-operation, through meetings of parliamentary friendship groups and interactions between relevant parliamentary bodies.

They emphasized that Slovenia has provided strong support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU integration process and has been one of the key advocates for the decision to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as for the decision of EU institutions to approve the start of accession negotiations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. Announcing continued support for Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the possibility of providing technical and expert support throughout all phases of the negotiation process, Slovenian parliamentarians said that they are particularly interested in signing a co-operation agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and FRONTEX in order to protect borders from illegal migration, human trafficking, and cross-border crime.

They evaluated that the positive relations between the two countries present significant opportunities for economic co-operation, as well as collaboration in various other fields, ranging from education and culture to sports. They indicated that an increasing number of Slovenian enterprises are showing interest in investing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressing confidence that this interest will expand with each positive advancement made by our country in the EU integration process.

Expressing gratitude to their colleagues from Slovenia for their support for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the process of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, members of the Friendship Group for Neighbouring Countries of the PA BiH said that today's meeting is seen as a strong encouragement for further inter-parliamentary co-operation, as well as economic co-operation.

In this regard, they highlighted the possibilities of co-operation in the field of green energy transition, emphasizing the great potential that Bosnia and Herzegovina has for energy production from renewable sources. Co-operation in the field of tourism, especially spa tourism, was also mentioned, as well as co-operation in the maintenance of water resources. It was recommended that related parliamentary bodies in the field of energy and green transition immediately establish contact in order for the Slovenian side to transfer its experiences and best practices in this area.

During the discussions, both sides emphasized the significant advantages of parliamentary diplomacy, which, as stated, can open many doors in strengthening co-operation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia, as well as regional co-operation, which, it was assessed, is an excellent preparation for candidate countries for full EU membership. (End)