Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman has expressed hope that during its meeting on 14-15 December, the European Council will give a greenlight to opening the accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina after this candidate fulfills the additional conditions.

In early November, the European Commission said the EU should begin membership talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina “once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved”.

Grlic-Radman said in an interview with the Radio-television HercegBosnia in Mostar, which was broadcast on Sunday,  that he hoped that the political decision in December by the European Council “will be the reward for all the results which Bosnia and Herzegovina has achieved, although it is not easy in any country that has a multinational character and such history.”

“It is necessary to have political will and all the leaders are supposed to demonstrate the will for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European journey.”

The authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina would have to ensure the adoption of at least four laws by March 2024 if they want their country to receive approval for the opening of talks on membership of the European Union, the head of the EU Delegation in Sarajevo, Johann Sattler, said in mid-November.

The amendment to the Law on Courts, the Law on the Prevention of Conflicts of Interest, to the Election Law in the part concerning the integrity of the electoral process, and to the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering were cited by Sattler as the requirement for the opening of the entry.

Grlic-Radman said that it was especially important to amend the election legislation to ensure that all the three constituent peoples are on an equal footing and that no citizen is discriminated against.

“BiH must function in line with the Dayton Agreement, as a single state with the two entities and the three constituent peoples.”

He also praised the Council of Ministers led by PM Borjana Kristo for its efforts to make sure that Bosnia and Herzegovina makes a headway on its EU journey.