SARAJEVO -- Bosnia-Herzegovina could sign the SAA with the European Union in April, the EU's Enlargement Commissioner said.
Source: BIRN
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SAA is widely seen as the first step towards European Union membership.
Bosnia was obliged to meet certain political criteria before it could enter into its first contractual relations with the EU.
Besides full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague, which is examining the most serious war crimes committed during the conflicts following the break-up of Yugoslavia, Bosnia also had to reform its two separate, ethnically-based police forces.
An agreement was originally hampered by Bosnian Serb objections but last year, leaders reached a political deal on reforms known as The Mostar Declaration.
"With a normal amount of political will, which exists, the police reforms should be adopted shortly,” thus paving the way for the signing of SAA, Rehn said.
The reforms aim to eventually unify the police forces, but in the short-term they will focus on restructuring and streamlining them.
Bosnian Premier Nikola Špirić says his country has made progress in reforms in many areas.
“Me personally, and Bosnia's Council of Ministers are committed to continuing reforms so we can accelerate our process towards the EU," Špirić pledged.
Haris Silajdžić, the Bosniak member of the Presidency noted that after an explicit expression of will by the EU, everything depends on local politicians.
“We cannot lose this opportunity,” Silajdžić said. “Almost everybody in the EU is ready for this big step therefore I hope that we can respond properly by fulfilling our obligations and achieve the signing of SAA,” he added.
His Bosnian Serb counterpart, Nebojša Radmanović said he personally hoped the SAA could even be signed in March since “Bosnia will fulfill its obligations in next couple of days.”
“We can and we have the strength to do that, and at the end we will make that big step – called the Stabilization and Association Agreement,” Radmanović said.
You guys really need to understand something. Joining the EU dosent mean EU countries automatically invest in you. By joining EU u get open, VISAless borders, with easier free trade. So many people here seem to think joining the EU means magic fairy dust is sprinkled on to they're country and automatically solve they're problems.
(Peter V, 29 February 2008 22:59)
Many EU countries are starting to assemble their goods in Serbia to get in on Serbia's trade agreement with Russia. Russia is a net creditor nation now and has entirely paid off the debts, and with its extremely vast natural resources it will continue to enrich itself in the decades to come.
Marcia: They are being duped all those country's you mentioned will be in the expanded slavery house. … They will be only in name country's and fictionally independent but they will be much less than that, more of a small village council powers. … The power will reside in Brussels and the new presidential office of the EU that technocrats are setting up. … EU is suppose to be a organization set up to fusillade free and open trade between members it has gone way past its mandate and what it is suppose to be the name of it is the European Free Market. … People just don't realize what it is evolving in to the rights country's are giving up and the peoples of it. … Before it could dictate in 17 areas and you could not say NO to and most dealt with trade. Now it is in 54 areas and climbing the majority have nothing to do with trade but rights of country's in and out of its borders to act independently with out the Brussels EU say so. … Without breaking its laws and you and your country being criminals of it! … They are setting up a EU police force only unanswerable to Brussels and the EU Presidential office they can go in to any country of the EU and the Law force of that country cant do anything about it. … Arrest the EU offenders that is called a police state. … At least Serbia is standing up fore its rights and freedoms of its citizens and not to be a slave to hippocratic self serving Brussels EU.
(Lenard, 29 February 2008 15:46)
Serbia should WAKE UP and concentrate on EU integration. Otherwise, Serbia will be left behind while Croatia,Macedonia,Kosovo,
Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia will be EU member states.
(Mircea, 29 February 2008 13:23)
Marcia: They are being duped all those country's you mentioned will be in the expanded slavery house. … They will be only in name country's and fictionally independent but they will be much less than that, more of a small village council powers. … The power will reside in Brussels and the new presidential office of the EU that technocrats are setting up. … EU is suppose to be a organization set up to fusillade free and open trade between members it has gone way past its mandate and what it is suppose to be the name of it is the European Free Market. … People just don't realize what it is evolving in to the rights country's are giving up and the peoples of it. … Before it could dictate in 17 areas and you could not say NO to and most dealt with trade. Now it is in 54 areas and climbing the majority have nothing to do with trade but rights of country's in and out of its borders to act independently with out the Brussels EU say so. … Without breaking its laws and you and your country being criminals of it! … They are setting up a EU police force only unanswerable to Brussels and the EU Presidential office they can go in to any country of the EU and the Law force of that country cant do anything about it. … Arrest the EU offenders that is called a police state. … At least Serbia is standing up fore its rights and freedoms of its citizens and not to be a slave to hippocratic self serving Brussels EU.
(Lenard, 29 February 2008 15:46)
Many EU countries are starting to assemble their goods in Serbia to get in on Serbia's trade agreement with Russia. Russia is a net creditor nation now and has entirely paid off the debts, and with its extremely vast natural resources it will continue to enrich itself in the decades to come.
You guys really need to understand something. Joining the EU dosent mean EU countries automatically invest in you. By joining EU u get open, VISAless borders, with easier free trade. So many people here seem to think joining the EU means magic fairy dust is sprinkled on to they're country and automatically solve they're problems.
(Peter V, 29 February 2008 22:59)
Serbia should WAKE UP and concentrate on EU integration. Otherwise, Serbia will be left behind while Croatia,Macedonia,Kosovo,
Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia will be EU member states.
(Mircea, 29 February 2008 13:23)
Serbia should WAKE UP and concentrate on EU integration. Otherwise, Serbia will be left behind while Croatia,Macedonia,Kosovo,
Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia will be EU member states.
(Mircea, 29 February 2008 13:23)
You guys really need to understand something. Joining the EU dosent mean EU countries automatically invest in you. By joining EU u get open, VISAless borders, with easier free trade. So many people here seem to think joining the EU means magic fairy dust is sprinkled on to they're country and automatically solve they're problems.
(Peter V, 29 February 2008 22:59)
Many EU countries are starting to assemble their goods in Serbia to get in on Serbia's trade agreement with Russia. Russia is a net creditor nation now and has entirely paid off the debts, and with its extremely vast natural resources it will continue to enrich itself in the decades to come.
Marcia: They are being duped all those country's you mentioned will be in the expanded slavery house. … They will be only in name country's and fictionally independent but they will be much less than that, more of a small village council powers. … The power will reside in Brussels and the new presidential office of the EU that technocrats are setting up. … EU is suppose to be a organization set up to fusillade free and open trade between members it has gone way past its mandate and what it is suppose to be the name of it is the European Free Market. … People just don't realize what it is evolving in to the rights country's are giving up and the peoples of it. … Before it could dictate in 17 areas and you could not say NO to and most dealt with trade. Now it is in 54 areas and climbing the majority have nothing to do with trade but rights of country's in and out of its borders to act independently with out the Brussels EU say so. … Without breaking its laws and you and your country being criminals of it! … They are setting up a EU police force only unanswerable to Brussels and the EU Presidential office they can go in to any country of the EU and the Law force of that country cant do anything about it. … Arrest the EU offenders that is called a police state. … At least Serbia is standing up fore its rights and freedoms of its citizens and not to be a slave to hippocratic self serving Brussels EU.
(Lenard, 29 February 2008 15:46)