Statements

The members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina meet with President of the Slovak Republic Andrej Kiska, Montenegro Filip Vujanović and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey Numan Kurtulmuş

4/12/2016

The interlocutors assessed the importance of having general consensus and will of all political actors in BiH for implementation of reforms and achievement of progress which will near Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union. The members of the BiH Presidency said they were convinced that our states will receive the EU candidate status during the mandate of this Presidency.

The topics of discussion with the Slovak president were bilateral relations between the two states, which are good and with no open questions. It was jointly marked that there are opportunities for furthering of cooperation in economic field. There is a satisfactory intensity of bilateral contacts between the two states, at high and the highest level, which contributes to development of overall bilateral relations.

President Kiska expressed pleasure with the progress of BiH and highlighted readiness of Slovakia to continue offering necessary support to BiH in the process of Euro-integrations, which is particularly important bearing in mind that Slovakia will take over the six month presiding of the European Union in July 2016, and which could serve Bosnia as well. The experience of Slovakia on the accession path to the European Union can serve Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said that the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkan region is in the EU and NATO.

The interlocutors assessed the importance of having general consensus and will of all political actors in BiH for implementation of reforms and achievement of progress which will near Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union. The members of the BiH Presidency said they were convinced that our states will receive the EU candidate status during the mandate of this Presidency.

The members of the Presidency of BiH thanked for the continued support of Slovakia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly for their assistance on the European path of our state.

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During the meeting with Filip Vujanović, members of the Presidency of BiH highlighted that bilateral relations are good, friendly and without any open questions. The signed Agreement on Border between BiH and Montenegro at the Summit in Vienna, a good basis was found for furthering of bilateral cooperation.

It was said that the infallible aspect of European integration represents regional cooperation, including infrastructural connection.

The interlocutors expressed support for the continuation of activities in international transport connection through two important transport projects, modernization of the road Sarajevo - Šćepan Polјe – Podgorica, and a railway line Nikšić – Čaplјina, which would increase the usability of the port of Bar, as well as enable speedier export of goods from Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is important to jointly submit these regional projects to international financial institutions and propose assistance in the framework of new politics of the European Union on intensifying economic growth of the Western Balkans countries.

They underlined the importance of the building of Adriatic – Ionic road for Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also for the whole region.

President Vujanović congratulated BiH on submitting a credible application for EU membership. It was highlighted that it is necessary to use the momentum in the reform implementations in the process of European integrations and make efforts in the continuation of the reform processes.

The European path, the reforms on that path, cooperation on achieving these reforms, that is the process alone is equally important for BiH as is the final goal of integrating into the European Union. Every progress will mean more security and stability, it was concluded at the meeting.

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BiH Presidency Chairman Bakir Izetbegović and members of the Presidency of BiH Dr  Mladen Ivanić and Dr Dragan Čović expressed pleasure with friendly and good relations which exist between the two countries, and thanked Turkey which is the country partner to this year’s International Economic Fair, Mostar 2016, one of the most important economic manifestations in the region.  They expressed readiness for further improvement of overall bilateral relations in all fields of interest for both countries, and particularly in the field of economics and investments. They pointed out that the economic cooperation needs to be further developed by increasing trade exchange and the growth of the volume of Turkish investments in BiH.

They thanked for the continuous support with the Republic of Turkey offers to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and conveyed their regards to the prime minister and the president of the Republic of Turkey. 

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