Slovenia will continue supporting and helping Bosnia's aspirations towards the European Union membership, Slovenian Foreign Affairs Minister Anze Logar said in a meeting with Bosnian counterpart Bisera Turkovic, who arrived in Ljubljana on Tuesday for an official visit.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a target country for Slovenia’s development cooperation, said the host minister, mentioning some projects that his country has implemented in BiH. He also reminded that Slovenia donated 48,000 AstraZeneca vaccines against the coronavirus and is yet to send another 100,000 Pfizer doses to BiH.

FM Turkovic also addressed media following the meeting, emphasising as “exceptionally important” that the issue of European Union enlargement remains among top subjects despite the challenges that the EU is facing.

“A clear European perspective is crucial for security and stability in the entire region of the Western Balkans. Its absence opens the room for foreign, negative influences. The idea of setting up a specific deadline for the countries joining the EU could be an important incentive,” said Turkovic.

According to her, Bosnia is prepared for the status of EU candidate despite the “attempts of internal destabilization and obstructions.”

“A sooner approval of candidate status for Bosnia and Herzegovina would help not only the reforms but would contribute to the relaxing of political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region. I believe this would also send a positive message to the whole European Union,” Turkovic added.

She stressed that a huge progress has been made over the past decades but that there is still a lot work lying ahead of BiH.

“Without stable and safe Bosnia and Herzegovina there is no stable region. Only strengthening of the state and its capacities can guarantee that we will successfully overcome all challenges on the road to the EU,” added Turkovic.

The ministers also discussed the economic cooperation between the two countries, the migration issues as well as the fight against the ongoing pandemic.