European Union leaders agreed Thursday to open talks with Bosnia-Herzegovina on becoming a member of the bloc, although negotiations will solely start in earnest as soon as the Balkan nation has handed extra key reforms.
“Congratulations! Your place is in our European family. Today’s decision is a key step forward on your EU path,” European Council head Charles Michel wrote on X, as leaders met at a Brussels summit.
“Now the hard work needs to continue so Bosnia and Herzegovina steadily advances, as your people want.”
Bosnia has been an official candidate for membership since 2022 however wanted to implement a string of reforms earlier than getting the inexperienced gentle on progressing to the subsequent stage.
Brussels final week stated the nation had accomplished among the steps required, however excellent judicial and electoral reforms stay.
Russia’s battle on Ukraine has reinvigorated the EU’s drive to enlarge in japanese and central Europe, with its present member states agreeing in December to begin talks on becoming a member of with Ukraine and Moldova.
Opening negotiations would solely put Bosnia firstly of a protracted technique of additional painstaking reforms that often final for a few years earlier than a rustic lastly joins the EU.
Bosnia’s regional neighbors North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania are already forward of their efforts to affix, however all stay removed from membership
Source: www.dailysabah.com