Opening remarks by the HoD/EUSR in BiH Ambassador Luigi Soreca at the Sarajevo Security Conference 2026

Good morning everyone. Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured to address you again at the opening of the Sarajevo Security Conference, this year on a topic that resonates deeply with my work in Bosnia and Herzegovina as the EU Ambassador and EU Special Representative: "European security in a divided world".

Today I want to share with you the EU's vision for Europe's rapidly evolving security architecture, how we see enlargement playing a part in this, and why the EU continues, despite narratives of European decline, to play a pivotal role in today's geopolitical landscape, in addition to its economic weight as the second largest world economy.

It is not by chance that we are talking about this topic here in Sarajevo, a city that has redefined modern resilience in the face of adversity.

Bosnia and Herzegovina stands for the realisation that stopping violence is only the first phase of peace-making, and that long-term security requires sustainable democratic integration.

For the past 4 years, war is being waged at our doorstep, and this has been a seismic game changer for European security, the most significant one since the end of the Cold War.

Combined with, first, instability in the Middle East threatening trade routes and second, a shift in the US approach demanding more European self-reliance, the continent is moving towards more strategic responsibility over its own security.

Let me just highlight a few recent facts to substantiate this major shift:

• First, almost all European NATO allies have now surpassed the 2% GDP defence spending threshold;
• Second, European forces are increasingly taking the lead of NATO command structures since February 2026;
• Third, defence markets are being unified to enable high-intensity production, with joint procurement initiatives and a commitment to procure at least 50% of defence equipment from European suppliers high on the agenda of the Union.
• Fourth, Europe's annual capacity to produce ammunition is already six times what it was just 3 years ago.

These facts show that Europe is more determined to defend its freedom, its values based on universal principles and its political achievements.

However, the threats we face, and for which we need to build resilience, are not just at our external borders. The EU and Western Balkan countries are experiencing more intense foreign interference, and the EU is actively defending the democratic values that underpin our Union against the forces seeking to destabilise the Union and the candidate countries.

As such, the security of Bosnia and Herzegovina is intrinsically linked to collective security in Europe. EUFOR Althea continues to play a vital role in supporting domestic authorities in maintaining a safe and secure environment for all citizens of the country.

We also want to see Western Balkan partners move from being security beneficiaries to becoming security contributors for the region and beyond. To this end, a total of EUR 98 million has been allocated by the European Peace Facility to the Western Balkans, of which a third (35 million) has gone to Bosnia and Herzegovina alone.

Beyond their commitment to align to the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), Western Balkan countries can also offer expertise and partnerships: four of them have contributed troops and experts to EU CSDP missions, and the region hosts over 200 defence companies capable of producing NATO standards-compliant ammunition, especially in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The European Union has signed a Security and Defence Partnership with Albania and North Macedonia in November and December 2024, and Montenegro is in the pipeline. The region is more fully integrated into hybrid threat countering mechanisms, including through Europol.

In this new strategic approach to European security and defence, enlargement plays a vital role.

Because enlargement is more than just enlarging the EU geographically: it is about making our Union stronger, to serve as "Europe's geopolitical stabiliser" in Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos' words.

And on enlargement, the EU is delivering. 2026 is set to be a record year for progress on the matter. We see that Montenegro has closed more than half of its negotiation chapters, and EU member states have started preparing its Accession Treaty. Albania has officially started closing chapters and could potentially finish negotiating by the end of 2027. Of course, we have taken note of the the recent "no" to restart enlargement negotiations by Iceland - which is however already anchored to the Union as member of the European Economic Area and the Schengen free-travel area.

The next EU budget proposal 2028-2034 reflects this ambition. It foresees 42.6 billion Euros allocated for enlargement and the Eastern neighbourhood - an increase of over one third compared to the previous budget. Separately, we have allocated over 107 billion euros from the EU budget to support Ukraine's recovery, resilience, and its path to EU membership.

Gradually integrating the Western Balkan countries into the EU's economic fabric is also key to security and defence. We support the region through investments, reform programmes and gradual steps toward integration.

I need to mention here the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, launched in 2024, is one of the tools we have at our disposal. There are countries in the region who are progressing in an exceptional way using the tools to make a difference. Unfortunately, I can only regret that Bosnia and Herzegovina has still not finalised the ratification of the agreements which would turn the Reform Agenda into reality for citizens' benefit. And there is a cost for inaction.

Finally, while the EU looks at its borders and its neighbours to ensure security and stability, it also plays a critical role internationally to uphold international law and global accountability.

Security cannot exist without the rule of law.

In a period in which, using the words of High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas during her visit to Sarajevo only a few weeks ago, the "rulebook has been thrown out of the window", the EU continues to uphold the international and humanitarian rules-based order in international fora. Together with its member states, the EU continues to be the largest contributor to the UN system. The EU demands respect for the international justice system and reminds all that no one, regardless of power or position, must be allowed to escape justice.

In times of uncertainty, coercive power politics and escalating global competition, the EU stands as a true reliable, consistent and principled partner. Its offer for the security and defence of the Western Balkan region combines defence industry supply chains integration with a connection to advanced cybersecurity networks and funding of infrastructure with dual use potential. If that wasn't enough to prove the point, the largest military and civilian missions of the EU - EUFOR and EULEX Kosovo - are deployed in the region.

There is no doubt as to what is on the table from the EU when it comes to enlargement. Candidate countries owe the necessary reforms to their citizens, an overwhelming majority of which want to join the EU.

Standing here in the City Hall of Sarajevo I am reminded, once again, of the choices we are all forced to make in the face of adversity.

Choosing peace, choosing stability and security is our long-term goal and what determines our policy direction -not in a distant future, but today.

Thank you.