Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-22-Speech-3-330"
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"en.20081022.22.3-330"2
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"− Mr President, I would firstly like to thank Doris Pack for her excellent report. I welcome the opportunity to discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina with you today at a very crucial moment for the country and its European aspirations.
Your resolution underlines that closing down the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and strengthening the role of the European Union should remain our ultimate objective. I agree.
The future of the OHR is a matter for the Peace Implementation Council to decide, but it is clearly in the interest of Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach a point where the OHR will no longer be needed, thus paving the way for a stronger EU presence and for realising the EU perspective of the country. In other words, as we move into the next phase of our relations, Bosnia and Herzegovina itself must assume full ownership of the reform process that underpins its EU perspective. The signature of the SAA this summer provided an opportunity that should not be wasted. The challenge for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s leaders is to achieve a degree of political consensus such as has delivered progress on EU integration elsewhere in the Western Balkans region. They have done it before so they can do it again. I hope our messages will now be heard.
The signature of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) last June was a significant step forward for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together with the start of the visa dialogue, it gave a clear signal to the people of that country that their future lies in the European Union.
The EU was able to initial the SAA last December and sign it in June because the country’s political leaders pulled together and reached consensus on the main conditions, particularly on police reform. This proves that progress can be achieved and crises overcome when the political will exists, as Mr Jouyet rightly pointed out.
However, this consensus has since collapsed and reforms have been halted. Nationalist rhetoric ahead of the local elections in October was one factor in this deterioration. Yet the country’s political problems run much deeper than that.
The lack of a common vision among the country’s leaders about its future and the absence of consensus on EU reforms seriously harm its European prospects. There is also open disagreement on most political questions, while there is no sense of urgency or responsibility to overcome this political stalemate.
I expressed my serious concern to the Presidency of the country during my visit to Sarajevo a few days ago. I underlined that Bosnia and Herzegovina now needs to put EU-related reforms at the top of its political agenda and address the priorities of the European partnership, including state- and institution-building.
Your resolution sends a strong signal to the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to get on with the reforms and to get their country back on the road to Europe.
Likewise, Bosnia and Herzegovina must be able to speak with one voice to advance in European integration. Another litmus test of the country’s ability to deliver on EU integration is the census. From an EU perspective – as we all know – census data are vital for social and economic planning and development and for most Community policies.
The Commission will offer its assessment on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Progress Report on 5 November. Like you, we shall also point out the fact that the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina can either continue to quarrel and fall behind their neighbours, or get on with reform and move forward towards the EU."@en1
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