BOSNIA: EU Bosnia-Herzegovina signs the Stabilization and Association Agreement

The European Union has initialled the first pre-membership accord with Bosnia on Tuesday (December 4), putting the Balkan country on the road to membership that will end its status as a Balkan laggard. Local and international officials praised the Stabilisation and Association Agreement as a new page in Bosnia's history, marking the break with political instability and opening prospects of economic recovery. "It was indeed a great pleasure and honour to initial the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) as well as the interim agreement with your country," said European Union Enlargement Commissioner after the signing of document. "Dear friends, today is a day to celebrate. It is a great European day for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our presence here today, our work together in the last couple of weeks is a very concrete proof that Europe wants you to join, once you are ready for that, " he said. Rehn arrived in Sarajevo on Monday (December 4) to push politicians to agree on a long-delayed reform of Bosnia's ethnically separate police forces, to build on their unexpected agreement on a controversial voting reform last week. "Initialling it may sound technical, but it has a great symbolic importance after month of political paralyses," said Miroslav Lajcak, international peace overseer in Bosnia. "Agreement on better functioning of Council of Ministers, streamlined procedures for the parliament, and agreed action plan on a police reform show that Bosnia and Herzegovina is capable of solving its problems and overcoming difficulties," Lajcak said. Local leaders believe they will be able to sign the SAA by mid-2008.

ITN Source | December 5, 2007

Tags:. .problems. .page. .history. .build. .better