Minister Elmedin Konaković met with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, met today with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, who is on a two-day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the current political situation in the country, the European integration process, reform priorities, and the role of the European Union in maintaining stability and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.

Minister Konaković expressed gratitude to High Representative Kallas for the European Union's strong engagement and her personal commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He noted that her visit sends an important political signal of continued support for the country's European perspective. Konaković emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is firmly committed to EU membership and that the reform process must remain a joint priority for both domestic institutions and European partners.

He also emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is fully aligned with the common foreign and security policy of the European Union, confirming its clear European orientation and commitment to shared European values and priorities.

Special attention was given to preserving the political stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the role of the international community in safeguarding the Dayton Peace Agreement and constitutional order. Konaković remarked that functional institutions and political stability are essential for Bosnia and Herzegovina's European path, which is why maintaining the full mandate of the Office of the High Representative is crucial. He stressed his belief that the Bonn powers should be utilized only, when necessary, but their existence serves as an important preventive mechanism to deter attempts to undermine institutions, threaten the constitutional order, and destabilize the country until the 5+2 conditions are met.

Regarding the election of a new high representative, Konaković emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina requires someone who understands its specificities and the complexity of the political system, someone who will consistently protect the Dayton Peace Agreement and state institutions, while promoting political dialogue, the smooth functioning of institutions, and fostering an environment where reforms and European integration are prioritized over political and institutional blockades.

Minister Konaković warned that Bosnia and Herzegovina faces significant political obstacles on this path. He pointed out that Milorad Dodik and the SNSD, under the influence of Putin, represent the greatest impediment to Bosnia and Herzegovina's European aspirations through their secessionist activities and institutional blockades. He asserted that such policies directly undermine the reform process, threaten political stability, and serve to assist the Russian Federation's efforts to slow down European Union expansion and weaken its influence in the Western Balkans.

High Representative Kallas reaffirmed the European Union's strong commitment to preserving Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order, stressing that the European Union remains a reliable partner in the country's European integration process. She highlighted that the EU would continue providing full support for reforms, expecting that domestic institutions will capitalize on the existing European momentum and expedite the fulfilment of the remaining obligations on the path to membership. Both parties agreed that Bosnia and Herzegovina must not miss this opportunity for European momentum, and that the continuation of reforms is a shared responsibility between domestic institutions and their European partners.