HR/EUSR Inzko Meets Italian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Members of Italian Foreign Ministry and Italian Ambassador to BiH

The High Representative and EU Special Representative, Valentin Inzko met today in Sarajevo with the Italian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Alfredo Mantica, members of the Italian Foreign Ministry and Italian Ambassador to BiH, Raimondo De Cardona. HR/EUSR Inzko and the Italian delegation have discussed the current political situation in BiH, emphasizing that the international community’s priority regarding BiH remains the same, and that is to make BiH a functional state on the course to European Union.

Speaking about the lack of progress in reform process, HR/EUSR Inzko said that in the last four years BiH has come to a position to lag behind all of its neighbours when it comes to the European integration. It is time for the BiH politicians to take all the necessary decision which will take the country forward. “Instead of progress, we have witnessed numerous challenges to the Dayton Peace Agreement and the decisions of the High Representative, which is completely unacceptable. All players in BiH must show full compliance to the Dayton agreement and full respect to the authority of the High Representative.”, said HR/EUSR Inzko.

He also informed the Italian delegation about ongoing preparations for the next session of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council which will take place at the end of February and discuss the situation in the country and progress achieved in implementation of the 5+2 agenda.

Senator Mantica stressed that Italy continues to support BiH’s progress towards the EU and NATO, and looks forward to visa liberalisation for BiH passport holders hopefully this summer.