Maasikas: Estonia and the EU wish for a unified and successful Bosnia and Herzegovina

Today, on 22 March, the Estonian Deputy Minister for EU Affairs, Matti Maasikas, introduced the priorities of the Estonian EU Council Presidency to the Bosnian and Herzegovinian Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Mirko Sarović, Deputy Foreign Minister Josip Brkić and Director of the Directorate for European Integration Edin Dilberović in Sarajevo and affirmed that the main task of the Estonian presidency is to keep the EU united and decisive.

Estonian priorities are an open, safe, digital, inclusive and sustainable Europe. “Our priorities include areas that the countries committed to EU accession can also contribute to, e.g. the fight against terrorism or solving the migration crisis,” Maasikas said.

One of the keys to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s socio-economic development and further EU integration is the commitment of all levels of government to implementing the EU reform agenda. Next step on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s road to the EU is answering to a large-scale questionnaire. It was affirmed at all meetings that the country will present all answers in the end of May. Based on the replies, the European Commission will prepare its opinion on granting Bosnia and Herzegovina the status of a candidate state.

Estonia supports EU enlargement. According to Maasikas, enlargement is based on “respecting the values of the European Union and strict conditionality, and that is why we want countries that have made progress to have the opportunity to advance in the accession process. From Bosnia and Herzegovina as the future candidate state, we expect alignment with the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy positions, including with restrictive measures."

Relations between Estonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are good. Currently, the focus is mainly on cooperation in the area of e-governance. Estonian experts have organised many e-governance projects, including e-voting training courses, and we hope the cooperation will continue. Estonia also supports Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ambition to join NATO.