We are very unhappy about the situation in BiH, because it, obviously, is lagging behind other countries in the region. We are aware that the reason for this is not the people, but politicians. We want to clearly say that.
This was the main message from Eduard Kukan, chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with BiH, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, to reporters this morning in Sarajevo, on the eve of a meeting with representatives of the academic community and students.
Kukan is leading an eight-member delegation of the European Parliament, who had arrived in BiH for regular consultations with colleagues from the BiH Parliamentary Assembly .
During these visits, apart from meeting with parliamentary colleagues, European parliamentarians seek to meet other people from the NGO sector, academia and political parties to inform themselves in the widest possible way.
“This time we changed the program, we limited meetings with politicians and instead we have a meeting with students from Sarajevo, Banjaluka and Mostar to hear their voices as well, after the recent events in BiH,” he said.
He said that in discussions with BiH politicians, it is always stressed that if the country wants to move forward on its European path, they have to fulfill what has been agreed with the EU.
“Your politicians do not do that. That’s why we want to say it is very important to meet with young people, they have a future in the EU,” he said.
Reporters’ questions were mainly related to the announced new approach towards BiH. Kukan, however, says he wants to know what this new approach is.
“The only way for BiH to make progress is to fulfill what was agreed in numerous meetings with High Commissioner Catherine Ashton and Commissioner Stefan Fuele. We are frustrated because we want to help, and we do not know how,” he said.
Saying that, frankly, he does not even know what a “new approach” is, he said that what he knows is that “we have good will, we have the political will to help make things move forward.” (SS)
