GREAT BRITAIN URGES MEMBERS OF BOSNIAN PARLIAMENT TO ENSURE BOSNIA'S PROGRESS TOWARDS EU MEMBERSHIP

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (April 2,2008) – Great Britain is supportive of Bosnia’s association to the EU and in that sense urges the Bosnian parliamentarians to make all the steps necessary in that direction, Head of the British parliamentary delegation , John Austin stated in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. The delegation is in a several-day visit to Bosnia.

After meeting with members of the Bosnian Parliament at the Inter-Parliamentary Union and with members of the parliamentary houses’ collegiums heads, Austin stated that Bosnia will soon sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union and will move in an accelerated pace towards the EU membership.

He welcomed the progress Bosnia has made in certain sectors, especially in the sector of defence. He expressed optimism that some of the obstacles for signing of SAA, like the police reform, will be removed during the visit of the delegation.

Austin emphasized that, regardless of the difference in opinions of members of the British Parliament on the EU jurisdictions, there is a consensus that EU should include the entire territory of Europe and that Bosnia belongs there.

The British parliamentary delegation is in a return visit to Bosnia. They discussed at the meetings with their parliamentary colleagues further cooperation.

The Bosnia Parliament's House of Representatives Speaker Milorad Zivkovic stated after a meeting that it is expected that the cooperation will advance in the following period.

He added that “we have found some similarities related to the work of the two countries’ parliaments and in relations between the central and regional-level authorities”.
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