CVIJANOVIĆ: I AM SATISFIED WITH MEETINGS IN BRUSSELS, QUITE RELAXED GOING TO THE EU - WESTERN BALKANS SUMMIT

BRUSSELS, DECEMBER 18 /SRNA/ - Serb member and chairperson of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović said that at today's meeting in Brussels, she informed the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas that the Council of Ministers adopted two laws that were sent to the parliamentary procedure, and that the continuation of activities on that plan is expected.

Cvijanović stated that the meeting also discussed issues of the reform agenda, that is, the Growth Plan, where there were certain discussions within the working group. "I know that there were discussions about things that remained unresolved, and these are now three things, that is, conditions - one relates to the visa regime, the second to competition law and what should be accepted in this regard within BiH, and the third condition is the issue that taken from 14 priorities, which is the reform of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. These are the open issues," Cvijanović stated. She added that, as far as she was informed by the Working Group, statements are expected regarding two of those three conditions, namely from the four cantons in the FBiH that previously expressed their certain disagreement, and it refers to both visas and competition law. As for the Constitutional Court, Cvijanović said, it was clearly stated in Republika Srpska that we should deal with it, but there were certain disagreements between the two entities, and it is necessary to take a number of steps to implement the reform of the Constitutional Court. It is expected that the talks will continue. "I think they understand that these are developments, but I am also aware of the fact that the institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina at all levels of government, in accordance with their constitutional competences, should decide on these matters, and when these decisions are made, they will be forwarded to the EU," Cvijanović highlighted. She pointed out that the meeting was an excellent opportunity to talk a little more broadly, in the overall context, and not only about specific things that arose from these documents that were placed before BiH as an obligation to be fulfilled. "In general, we discussed relations in BiH and I expressed my views and I have to emphasize that. I never aspire to speak on behalf of BiH, unlike some others. I always express my views and I say that very clearly. I was elected in Republika Srpska and I am saying what is the position of Srpska. Unlike others, I understand that in order for something to become the position of BiH, it has to be agreed upon, primarily, within the framework of the BiH Presidency," said Cvijanović. She stated that she has the need and obligation to say what the views of Republika Srpska are and what divides us within BiH, to point out that the European path is something that should unite and that it is something that should not be ruined, but something that should be worked on. "In this way I appeal to the interlocutors to understand the relations in BiH and that there is no black and white picture. What guided me at this meeting, and especially at the meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, is that no one in BiH has the right to privatize relationship with any international organization. I don't do that and I expect the same from my colleagues and all other factors from BiH. I often recognized that this relationship and cooperation with NATO was the subject of privatization, because some said that only they were relevant to say what they thought, and that others were not. I will say that we are all relevant, and today I had the opportunity to do so," Cvijanović stressed. She added that she had a very constructive conversation with the newly elected Secretary General of NATO about the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. "Their focus is on developing the cooperation that exists in an operational sense, and I said that cooperation is something that we all accept within BiH. There were no difficult issues or topics at that meeting, there are things which we agree on, but also those we do not agree on," Cvijanović said. She added that she was very satisfied with both meetings and that she is quite relaxed going into the EU-Balkan Summit. "What is obvious is that so far we have not understood each other many times when it comes to cooperation or the European path. My obligation is to point out that, apart from privatization, which must not happen when it comes to international organizations, the privatization of institutions must not happen either, because they are the ones where the Constitution and constitutional procedures must be respected, the way of making decisions, their harmonization so that they become joint, and I think that's fine and we should work on that," explained Cvijanović. She said that we should see the EU not only as a partner, but as someone we travel together with to reach a goal. "I am not satisfied with the way they treat many issues, but I am satisfied with the fact that they are open to conversation. I expect and believe that this path will be more credible in the coming period and that within the framework of that credibility that we have to gain, we definitely have to understand each other well" Cvijanović stated. She pointed out that new people have been appointed to different positions in international organizations and they know very little about Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, except that these are countries that have been placed on the European path and that they are unequally spaced from Brussels, that they have different challenges that are internal and regional. "This is a good opportunity for us to bring things back to the practical field so that through practical examples we can point out what the deviations are, what the things that we need to eliminate from that process are, that bad practice. I think that they are open to that kind of talk, that they are satisfied and I am relaxed when it comes to this summit. Although, there is a declaration where I expressed my reservations about several things, and one of them is that certain international agreements are listed there, but the Dayton Agreement is not mentioned, and we are talking about a country that is a participant of the Summit, and that should have been respected. However, declarations are optional, there is no adoption, no voting, no signing, so it is not that significant," Cvijanović concluded.