EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO HELP BOSNIA MOVE FASTER TOWARDS EU MEMBERSHIP

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 12,2007) – "If Bosnia wishes to move in the direction of European Union it needs to find a solution by itself, and this is where the largest responsibility of the politicians of this country lies," a member of the delegation of the European Parliament’s Sub-Commission for Defence and Security Mihael Brejc stated in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

“We are under the impression that matters could deteriorate and we have therefore prepared a report for the European Parliament so that we can find the right means to help Bosnia move faster towards European Union and join it”, Brejc said.

Brejc, a member of the Slovenian delegation to the European Parliament, stressed that Slovenia has given priority to processes in the Southeastern Europe and the faster accession of the region to European structures.

“Our presidency of the EU will work very intensively on that and we shall demand in European institutions that these difficult issues be put on the table, that they be discussed and resolved. I am deeply confidence that Bosnia has enough energy to overcome these difficulties and to join the process of EU integration as soon as possible”, Brejc said.

He described the security situation in Bosnia as good, but “not good enough to make a step forward”.

The Bosnian constitution and police reform are issues that are constantly on the agenda, he said.

“Until these issues are resolved it will be difficult to move forward”, he said.