Members of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ermina Salkičević-Dizarević, Jasmin Emrić, and Šemsudin Mehmedović attended a conference on the benefits of the Berlin Process

Member of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PA BiH) and the Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Reforms and Development of the PA BiH, Ermina Salkičević-Dizdarević, along with members of the House of Representatives Jasmin Emrić and Šemsudin Mehmedović, participated in the inter-parliamentary conference titled "Benefits of the Berlin Process: Special Focus on the Common Regional Market," held in Petrovac, Montenegro.

During the panel session "Common Regional Market 2.0 - What Worked Before and Challenges of Action Plan 2.0," Chair Ermina Salkičević-Dizdarević of the Joint Committee on Economic Reforms and Development of the PA BiH highlighted the committee's work and outlined its planned activities for the future. She emphasized the importance of business community involvement in promoting the benefits that the Berlin Process brings to the Western Balkan countries, as well as connections and collaboration with chambers of commerce, non-governmental sectors, and the academic community.

Participants of the conference noted several joint messages during discussions, the key message being that the outcomes for national economies will not reach their full potential without regional security and political stability.

They stated that enhancing economic competitiveness, human capital, and digitalization will be focal points of the Berlin Process, with opportunities for improvement of these issues within the framework of the common regional market.

It was noted that the Berlin Process itself and its benefits have not been adequately communicated to the public, particularly to the business community, and that there is a need to intensify efforts to promote this regional initiative.

The conference also highlighted the fact that members of the business community, alongside parliaments and other institutions, are participants in the Berlin Process, stressing the importance of selecting adequate partners who contribute to solutions rather than problems for expediting the implementation of Berlin Process commitments.

In this context, the significance of building trust between individuals and institutions was underscored, along with efforts to develop democracy, foster a favourable business environment, combat corruption, and swiftly adopt the best European practices across all business sectors.

The issue of free movement of people was revisited, including the ratification of remaining agreements under the Berlin Process by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The role of parliaments was emphasized, advocating for greater dialogue within parliamentary structures and the creation of a society based on shared values where the benefits of the common regional market are a political goal rather than a means to diverge political stances.

Discussions also touched upon funds allocated through the Growth Plan for Western Balkan countries, cautioning that the use of these funds is contingent upon fulfilling the commitments undertaken. (End)