Plenković says Bosnia and Herzegovina needs political stability if it wants to join the EU

The Croatian Prime Minister was in neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina today attending the 24th International Business Fair in Mostar, where over the next five days around eight hundred exhibitors from some thirty countries will present their goods.

During his visit to Mostar on Tuesday Prime Minister Andrej Plenković emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to become a politically stable and functional country if it wants to become a member of the European Union: "Croatia will support Bosnia and Herzegovina on its European path. You know that we provided maximal support to ensure that Bosnia and Herzegovina attain candidate status in December. We want to see success in the continued implementation of reforms, especially now after the central and federal governments have been formed. To contribute in this way to economic development, equal regional development, and obviously a higher quality of life for all of Bosnia and Herzegovina's citizens."

In his address at the opening of the 24th International Mostar Business Fair Prime Minister Plenković emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina faces a period of faster and more intense development: "In my opinion it is precisely these recent, big developments that have happened here, such as the establishing the government of the federation, that will send a clear signal to the economy and all of Bosnia and Herzegovina's citizens, that Bosnia and Herzegovina awaits a period of faster and more intense development. I say this with conviction as the Croatian Prime Minister for the past seven years, as Croatia has precisely because of strong political stability achieved the majority of its strategic goals in recent years."

The Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto, noted that economic cooperation was the only way forward in a global economy coping with rampant inflation: "Dynamic and fruitful business cooperation is the key to economic growth and development, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region as a whole. This is especially today when the world is facing various crises, resulting in strong inflationary pressures and higher energy, raw materials and food prices."

Finally, the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nermin Nikšić, said that Croatia will play a key role in pulling Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to Brussels: "The Republic of Croatia is already an EU member and is definitely the most developed country in the region. It is a country that we expect will also help pull us into the locomotive of European development."

Source: HRT