Bosnia-Herzegovina"s Application Accepted by the EU

World News Rudolph Rodriquez
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The European Union agreed on Tuesday the application for membership by Bosnia-Herzegovina in February, a step forward in what will be most probably a long process which Sarajevo hopes will end by becoming a member of the Union, writes Reuters.

EU countries require however for Bosnia to continue the “socio-economic reforms in the areas of law and public administration rule ” and the European Commission to monitor the implementation of 2009 decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the access of ethnic minorities, Jews, and Roma, in high dignity in the state. Currently only Serbs, Bosniaks, and Croats may run for these functions, and the problem continues to be an obstacle to Bosnia’s European plans.

According to the EU, Bosnia still recorded progress in two key areas: the establishment of a body to negotiate with the Union and adapting the 2008 agreement with Croatia after it joined the bloc.

“Today is truly a historic moment for the European road and for the European future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is one of the most positive news, especially for young people”, underlined Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic.

Bosnia, a country with 3.5 million inhabitants, is divided along ethnic lines after the war in 1990 that killed over 100,000 people.

Qualified in 2003 as “potential candidate” for an EU membership, Bosnia failed to obtain this status because of political disputes that have prevented ethnic reforms.

Its European aspirations were boosted by a German-British joint initiative launched last year to encourage economic development and reforms in exchange for funding and European integration.

The initiative followed after years of postponement of reforms and in February 2014 after civil unrest, fueled by discontent over the political inertia, high unemployment of over 40%, and corruption.