Members of the Collegium of both Houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PA BiH) met with the presidents and vice-presidents of the parliaments of the eight Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8)

Those present included the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABIH), Dr Denis Zvizdić; the Speaker of the House of Peoples of the PABIH, Dr Nikola Špirić; the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the PABIH, Marinko Čavara; and the Speaker of the Croatian People's Club in the House of Peoples of the PABIH, Marina Pendeš. Dragan Čović, gathered with the presidents and vice presidents of the Parliaments of the eight Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8), who are on a joint visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The presidents of the parliaments of the Kingdom of Sweden, the Republic of Finland, the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Latvia, as well as the vice presidents of the parliaments of the Kingdom of Norway, the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Estonia and the Kingdom of Denmark, sent a unique and strong message of support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, territorial integrity and European path. Alongside their strong support for the European integration process of our country and the wider Western Balkan region, the presidents and vice presidents of the eight Nordic and Baltic parliaments have expressed their willingness to provide political and other assistance to help the country achieve full EU membership.

They emphasised that the Nordic and Baltic states have experienced different phases in their mutual relations throughout history, and that this visit exemplifies a responsible and collaborative regional approach by states that have undergone European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes towards neighbouring countries. They called on all parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina to prioritise dialogue and the implementation of reforms, which they said are not only a condition for further progress on the path to Europe, but also necessary for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They added that the door to the EU remains wide open for our country and all other countries in the Western Balkans.

During an open and honest dialogue, members of the collegium of both houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina presented their assessments of the current political situation in the country and the overall geopolitical situation in Europe and the world, which may impact the EU enlargement process and future developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans region.

They welcomed the support that the NB8 countries are providing to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on its European path. They also pointed out that 78 per cent of BiH citizens support the European integration process, which they said is the highest percentage of support for EU membership of all Western Balkan countries. They appealed to their Nordic and Baltic colleagues to continue supporting the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkans. They assessed that this would benefit not only the countries in the region, but also the EU. They warned that the EU cannot be considered complete, stable or secure without the membership of Bosnia and Herzegovina and all the other countries in the Western Balkans.

During the meeting, it was expressed that this joint visit by the presidents and vice-presidents of the parliaments of the eight Nordic and Baltic countries is expected to contribute to the development of bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the NB8 countries, particularly in the economic sphere, as well as in strengthening interparliamentary cooperation. (end)