Minister Konaković participated in the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of The South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, participated in the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of The South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), held in Sophia, at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, Velislava Petrova.

The SEECP is a key regional platform, which includes 13 participants in the region, and it was established with the goal of strengthening trust, good neighborly relations and stability in Southeast Europe. Its mission encompasses development of security, political and economic cooperation, as well as joint work in fields of democracy, judiciary, development of human resources and fight against illegal activities and terrorism.

This year's meeting, organized under the Chairmanship-in-Office of Sofia, was dedicated to the topic "A Shared Compass for a Stable, Secure and Sustainable Region - 30 Years of Regional Ownership and European Aspiration". It also marked the 30th anniversary of the SEECP, which proved to be an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments achieved during the 30-year period and to set the following steps for the future of the region.

In his speech, Minister Konaković emphasized that SEECP has been making a significant contribution to peace, stability and cooperation for last three decades, and he also underlined progress and transformation that Southeast Europe accomplished during that period. The Minister expressed special thanks to Sofia for its successful Chairmanship-in-Office during last year, emphasizing that enlargement of the European Union was set as a key goal during its presidency. The Minister also thanked Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), that remains an important partner in developing practical regional cooperation with concrete results.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, as he stated, remains firmly committed to the European path, which is a strategic goal and aspiration of its citizens. The Minister pointed out that the process of European integration represents long-term investment in prosperity, peace, stability and security of our region and Europe as a whole. He emphasized that the progress in integration of the Western Balkans reduces the space for malignant external influence, strengthens democratic institutions and rule of law and contributes to the strengthening of economic ties through participation in the Single Market.

Speaking of political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Minister emphasized that certain politics and actors obstruct reform processes with their actions, slow down the European path of the country and create additional instabilities. He pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite these challenges, remains committed to strengthening European security while at the same time remains committed to strengthening partnership and cooperation with NATO. He particularly emphasized the importance of continuous support from the international community, including the Office of the High Representative (OHR), in full capacity. The Minister warned that calls for the closure of OHR are being heard more and more often, which would facilitate the operation of secessionist policies and could lead to new tensions that would threaten the peace and stability of the country. In that context, he emphasized that the OHR remains an important safeguard of peace, stability and preservation of the constitutional order established by the Dayton Peace Agreement.

In the end, minister Konaković emphasized that regional cooperation remains the key for stability and prosperity, and that Bosnia and Herzegovina is ready to contribute constructively to the joint efforts with the main goal of building a safe, stable and European-oriented region.