MOSTAR, September 5 (FENA) - BiH Deputy Foreign Minister and HDZ BiH international secretary Josip Brkić said Bosnia and Herzegovina is at a standstill and is making no progress on its path to the European Union.
"There is a need for a turnaround, and the first step must be the formation of the government. The European Commission has repeatedly called for the unconditional formation of the Council of Ministers in order for BiH to continue the European path and gain candidate status, but without the new Council of Ministers, the EU unfortunately has no partner in BiH," Brkić said in statement transmitted by the HDZ BiH Information Office.
He cited the entry into force of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), the submission of the EU Membership Application, the completion of the process of answering EC questions, and the successful functioning of the Coordination Mechanism as positive developments on BiH's European path.
"This has resulted in an Opinion delivered by the European Commission to BiH, with recommendations that need to be urgently considered and implemented, and in all these processes, HNS and HDZ BiH officials have been the lead," Brkić said.
Joining NATO, he said, is BiH's second major foreign policy goal, and Croat officials have helped to intensify relations with international partners through their active efforts.
"In terms of accession, the institutions of BiH as well as the NATO Integration Process Commission (PNIP), which I headed, already drafted eight months ago and submitted the first draft Annual State Plan (ANP), which I believe and expect the BiH Council of Ministers to comply with the earlier decisions of the BiH Presidency and the Constitution and laws, finally put it on the agenda, discussed and sent to NATO headquarters in Brussels," Brkić points out.
(FENA) L. N.