Luxembourg Reaffirms Support for Unity, Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity & Future EU Membership of Bosnia-Herzegovina

On Wednesday 15 June 2022, Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, paid a working visit to Sarajevo, at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bisera Turković.

Ministers Asselborn and Turković had a bilateral meeting, followed by a press conference. Luxembourg's Foreign Minister also met with Željko Komšić, member of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zoran Tegeltija, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt.

In addition to bilateral relations between Luxembourg and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the working visit to Sarajevo notably enabled the head of Luxembourg's diplomacy to have in-depth exchanges of views with his various interlocutors on the current situation in the country and in the Western Balkans, as well as on issues related to the enlargement of the European Union (EU). Russian aggression in Ukraine and its consequences for the EU and the Western Balkans were also on the agenda.

Minister Asselborn first highlighted Luxembourg's unequivocal support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In view of the elections scheduled for October 2022, he appealed to all political actors, encouraging them to abandon any secessionist rhetoric likely to divide citizens.

Ahead of the meeting of EU and Western Balkan leaders on 23 June in Brussels, Minister Asselborn reaffirmed Luxembourg's firm committment to the European perspective of all Western Balkan countries, particularly Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this regard, he announced that Luxembourg will continue to support the country in the implementation of the Community acquis, in particular through training aimed at familiarising the Bosnian administration with the process of European integration. Luxembourg will also continue to support European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The importance of implementing the fourteen key priorities identified by the European Commission was also mentioned in this context, in particular with regard to the fight against corruption, the independence of justice and respect for the rule of law. Minister Asselborn also recalled that the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, like the other Western Balkan countries, lies within the EU.

Finally, a meeting with High Representative Christian Schmidt, was an opportunity to take stock of the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the eve of the meeting organised by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, in Brussels. The meeting brought together almost all the leaders of all the political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Minister Asselborn confirmed the continuation of Luxembourg's bilateral support for the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.