HUNGARY SUPPORTS BOSNIA'S EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (June 13,2008) - The Bosnian State Presidency had a meeting yesterday with Hungary’s Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany. The two countries have no open issues, and their economic cooperation needs to grow, the Bosnian President Haris Silajdzic said.Hungary's Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany pledged support yesterday to Bosnia in its bid to move closer to the European Union, but warned it faced a difficult task in reaching the goal.

"It is not easy to fulfill all the tasks that are ahead of Bosnia" on its way to European integration, Gyurcsany told reporters during a visit to the Bosnian capital.

Gyurcsany, whose country joined the European Union in 2004, stressed "Hungary had a much better starting point (than Bosnia) but it still has to work hard."

In a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart, Bosnia's Prime Minister Nikola Spiric said that Hungary would be Bosnia’s strategic partner on her path to full membership in the EU and the NATO, and thanked its officials for all the support given so far, especially in the reform of the Bosnian judiciary and security.

Gyurcsány signed a declaration of support for Bosnia's EU accession following his meeting with Spiric.Spiric said he hoped that economic relations between Bosnia and Hungary will strengthen after the agreement is signed.

Bosnia and Hungary will sign an agreement on visa-free regime this autumn, it was said in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo yesterday.

Hungary's Prime Minister said that Hungarian investors are interested in cooperation in energy, telecommunications and tourism, and development projects in road and railway infrastructure and added that customs duties imposed on imports between Hungary and Bosnia will be cancelled in a couple of weeks.

Gyurcsány also said that support for Bosnia's accession to the European Union is not in Hungary's unilateral interest, since Bosnia needs the EU and the EU needs a peaceful and prosperous Bosnia.

Bosnia is to sign a trade-and-aid agreement with the EU on June 16, making it the final country in the region to establish a contractual relationship with the 27-nation union. The Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) is seen as a stepping stone toward the EU membership.
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