Interview by the Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in BiH, Luigi Soreca: "The door to EU membership is wide open for BiH"
Published by Oslobođenje
~ As a reminder, the interview with the Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in BiH Luigi Soreca was conducted before the tragic accident in Brčko, where two members of the Italian Armed Forces and two members of the Italian Military Red Cross were killed in the crash of an Italian helicopter, while 11 people were injured.~
Oslobođenje: More than two years ago, we received the green light to open EU accession negotiations for Bosnia and Herzegovina, yet ever since, only red lights have been showing—what is holding us back?
Luigi Soreca: Indeed, that moment when Bosnia and Herzegovina received the green light for accession negotiations was a special one. I remember very clearly the reaction of BiH friends and interlocutors as well as the optimism among colleagues in Brussels.
Nonetheless, when the green light for accession negotiations was given in March 2024, it came with the expectation that certain achievable steps would be fulfilled. These were clearly communicated at the time. Bosnia and Herzegovina has certainly made progress in fulfilling some of them. For example, in law enforcement cooperation, border security and border management, including the finalisation of the Agreement on Frontex. Nonetheless, certain other steps are still unfulfilled, most notably adopting the Law on Courts and Law on HJPC in line with European standards.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has also not been able to appoint a Chief Negotiator that can represent the country with one voice. Accession negotiations are an intensely technical, demanding process involving thousands of pages of EU legislation. We need an expert, technically capable interlocutor who can coordinate across institutions and bridge the technical work between BiH and the EU. Every country conducting accession negotiations has a Chief Negotiator. Given the administrative complexity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, having a dedicated structure that can liaise with the EU on technical matters is even more critical.
As to the question of what is holding BiH back, the requirements for membership of the EU are transparent and clearly communicated. Next week, the European Commission will publish its enlargement reports. Everything that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to do to become an EU member state is comprehensively outlined in these yearly reports. The pace of movement towards EU membership is determined by the choices made by domestic political actors.
Our hope, and indeed expectation, is that now the elections have concluded, political focus will return to fulfilling the conditions for progress on the EU path. Every single citizen in Bosnia and Herzegovina, wherever they live in the country, benefits from a closer relationship with the EU. A future in the EU remains the best guarantee of prosperity and stability for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Oslobođenje: What can the EU do to assist the citizens of BiH who believe in Brussels? It is clear to you, too, who opposes the EU—is the EU in a position to respond?
Luigi Soreca: I think it’s important to underline to all citizens – whether they are in favour of EU accession or more sceptical - that the door to EU membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina is very much open. Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine has brought home just how important enlarging the EU is for the long-term security of our whole continent. Enlargement is at the top of the EU’s priorities - I continually underline in my discussions with BiH political actors that they should seize this opportunity.
The EU and its member states remain Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most loyal partner. We are not only the largest investor and provider of assistance, but also the people BiH citizens can most reliably count on in times of need, for example following the catastrophic floods of 2014 and 2024, or during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether it’s young people taking advantage of educational opportunities through Erasmus+, researchers through Horizon Europe, or creative people through Creative Europe, thousands of BiH citizens understand that cooperation across borders is an essential component of success. We are stronger when we work together.
We want to deepen that relationship. Tools like the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans were designed to provide many of the benefits of EU accession before membership, supporting convergence and gradual integration through modernised infrastructure, smoother cross-border trade, and lower transaction costs. The transformative power of EU integration is real. When Poland joined, its per capita GDP was less than half the EU average; in twenty years, its economy doubled and it became a magnet for talent. Romania’s real household income per capita grew by 134% between 2004 and 2024.
These successes could be Bosnia and Herzegovina’s too. Not just economic growth, but knowing that your legal rights are better protected, a stronger fight against corruption, cleaner air and water, and more predictability for everyday life.
As to the question about what our response should be to those who are opposed, I can only emphasise that EU membership is voluntary. The large majority of BiH citizens want a future in the EU, and the benefits are obvious. While the European Union is very much interested in having Bosnia and Herzegovina as a member because of the historical, cultural and economic ties with the rest of the continent, membership is a sovereign choice, not an imposition.
What is not optional is alignment with the EU’s legislation and standards. A common framework, respected by every member state, is the only way that a Union of such diverse histories and cultures can work. Without political will to align with this framework, membership will not be possible, no matter how much we might want Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European family. Where political actors choose division and obstruction, they are not hurting Brussels, they are actively denying their own citizens the prosperity, security, and rights they deserve, rights which citizens in the rest of the continent have enjoyed since their countries joined the Union.
Oslobođenje: Is Bosnia and Herzegovina at risk of losing out on funds from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans? What can be done to prevent such a scenario?
Luigi Soreca: Bosnia and Herzegovina is very much at risk of losing out on funds from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. Bosnia and Herzegovina was originally allocated €1.08 billion. This allocation was cut last year by €108 million. There is a very real risk that BiH will see its allocation further cut by €373 million at the end of the year. I can tell you that there are other countries in the region that have successfully used the existing opportunities in the Growth Plan. They would be very happy to use these funds.
The way to avoid cuts is simple - fulfil the necessary legal framework and start implementing the reforms outlined in the Reform Agenda.
These reforms should not be viewed as administrative technicalities, necessary for receiving EU funds. They have a transformative power of their own, accelerating digitalisation, cleaner energy, reforms to the business climate and other important changes that will make Bosnia and Herzegovina more competitive, more prosperous and more deeply integrated with the European Single Market.
I think it is important to underline that the model of ‘investment for reforms’ is the model that will be increasingly applied to the large majority of EU spending in candidate countries in the next EU budget cycle 2028-2034. The expectation is that countries that wish to join the European Union, and receive large investment packages to support growth and development, also need to demonstrate commitment to aligning with the EU’s legislation and standards.
Oslobođenje: The results of the General Elections in BiH have been certified. What is your message to the politicians who will hold office over the next four years?
Luigi Soreca: My message to the new authorities would be: keep your focus on the long-term future of the country, and have the courage to find negotiated, consensus-driven, mutually beneficial solutions in the interests of BiH citizens.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina compromise is too often misconstrued as weakness. Voters are frequently encouraged to reward intransigence. The long-term cost of political dysfunction and blockades is paid by citizens in terms of high rates of emigration, toxic air quality, and a lack of investment in key social services like education and healthcare. Real leadership is not demonstrated by an ability to block progress; it is demonstrated by an ability to deliver results.
The EU path is a framework that will help Bosnia and Herzegovina to overcome many of the longstanding challenges that the country has faced. One of the main reasons that we are so keen to formally open accession negotiations as soon as possible is that it provides a structure to comprehensively discuss how to achieve a better future. The task ahead is to rebuild trust in public institutions and create an economy that delivers for citizens.
It would be a tragedy for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens if the next four years were again defined by obstruction, and blockades. We remain ready to provide technical advice, partnership, support and financial assistance. But the leadership and vision to make full use of the EU’s offer has to come from domestic actors. The EU is preparing to accept new members in the coming years. Bosnia and Herzegovina can still make up for lost time, but the work must start now.