German Foreign Minister Annalena Bayerbok said on Thursday that more efforts were needed from her country and Bosnia and Herzegovina to bring the Balkan nation further into the EU in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking at a press conference with her Bosnian counterpart Bisera Turkovic in Sarajevo, Baerbock said the conflict in Ukraine was proof that a closer rapprochement is needed between the Western Balkans and the EU.
“We want to live together in the European home,” said Bayerbok, who is on a three-day trip to the region that will take her to Kosovo, Serbia and Moldova.
Bayerbock also warned of possible destabilization by nationalist tendencies in the country, which was ravaged by war in the 1990s following the break-up of Yugoslavia.
“For selfish reasons we must and will stop those who seek to endanger peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina for selfish reasons,” Bayerbok said.
He said Germany and its partners would not allow any “erosion of the security situation”.
Bosnia is seeking EU membership
Bayerbock added that Germany would only support those who work to strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina, not those who seek to destabilize and weaken it.
The statements appeared to be a covert reference to Russian-backed Bosnian Serb politician Milorad Dodik, who is seeking the independence of the Serb part of the country.
Baebock stressed that economic cooperation would always be linked to respect for fundamental values, saying that there would be no investment without the conditions for democracy and the rule of law.
Turkovic urged to speed up the process of accepting Bosnia as an EU candidate and to set a date for the start of accession negotiations.
“We believe this would be a strong contribution to peace in Bosnia … and in Europe,” he said, adding that the Western Balkans are currently “a weak point in Europe” where the EU must show strength.
tj / jcg (Reuters, dpa)
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