EU Official: Bosnia and Herzegovina Made No Substantive Accession Progress in Past Year

Luigi Soreca, head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, said on the 4th that the country had made no substantive progress toward European integration over the past year. According to Sina Finance, he said the EU could further reduce its financial support if Bosnia and Herzegovina failed to meet the conditions for implementing the Western Balkans Growth Plan by year-end. After submitting the European Commission’s 2026 report on Bosnia and Herzegovina to Council of Ministers Chair Krišto, Soreca told media that European integration remained the country’s strategic goal, but that it was increasingly moving away from that path. He said Bosnia and Herzegovina was missing opportunities and lagging behind neighboring countries, with clear shortcomings in judicial reform and anti-corruption efforts. Regarding the general election scheduled for October 4, Soreca said political divisions had deepened, anti-EU rhetoric had increased, and political statements had failed to advance reforms. The Council of Ministers said Bosnia and Herzegovina was willing to continue joint efforts, assume its responsibilities, and work through dialogue with the European Commission to establish a roadmap for its future EU accession. Bosnia and Herzegovina applied to join the EU in February 2016 and received EU candidate status in December 2022. On March 21, 2024, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations with the country, but there has been no substantive progress.