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Kourkoulas presents the Report to Spiric
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The European Commission recognized the progress that Bosnia and Herzegovina achieved in the first half of the year in its Progress Report on BiH European Integrations in 2008. Still, the Head of EC Delegation to BiH Dimitris Kourkoulas noted, during the presentation of the Report to Nikola Spiric, President of the BIH Council of Ministers, the fact that the report is not as positive as the Delegation may have wanted it to be.
Kourkoulas added, at the presentation of the report, that the positive momentum that the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement and the start of talks on liberalization of visa regime brought to the game quickly got `compromised by the negative political environment in the country, marked by lack of consensus and fiery political rhetoric`.
He emphasized that the functioning of BiH institutions suffered from that situation, and that reforms were lagging. He warned that strong rhetoric, blockade of reforms and inability for Bosnia and Herzegovina to respond with a single voice not only postpones, but fully threatens its EU prospects.
In spite of the notable progress in the functioning of the Parliamentary Assembly, EC believes that better coordination is necessary between the Parliament and the Council of Ministers, as well as between entity and state levels.
The Report noted certain advances in the judiciary, but warns that the fragmentation and complexity of the judicial system is a serious obstacle. Also, corruption remains a comprehensive problem while state strategies to fight corruption has not been implemented properly.
In the area of human rights, EC greets the ratification of the European Social Charger, but nonetheless noted bad conditions and treatment reserved to incarcerated persons. The report also noted weaknesses in introduction of anti-discrimination rules and regulations.
In terms of economic criteria, EC noted certain progress towards functional market economy. Fiscal coordination was greatly improved, but there was lack of progress in terms of unified bank supervision.
Kourkoulas lists the implementation of Interim Agreement and progress in the areas of judicial system, freedoms and security as priorities for the next report period.
High Representative of the international community and EU Representative Miroslav Lajčak said that the Progress Report clearly identified the areas of evident progress, as well as areas in which no progress was noted, with the emphasis on the fight against organized crime and corruption, and the issue of constitutional reform.
- It is clear that EU will monitor the situation in BiH much more closely and then develop its strategy based on the findings. BiH politicians have to direct their attention to the obligations entailed by EU partnership. Those obligations have to be the focal points of their working plans for the coming period of time - said Lajčak.
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Progress report 2008
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