After concluding a two-day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, outlined the key priorities of her visit during a press conference.
Kallas said she held constructive meetings with numerous political leaders across Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on three key issues: the appointment of a new High Representative, the country’s European Union integration process, and preparations for the upcoming General Elections.
She noted that she had hoped the process of appointing a new High Representative would be finalized before her arrival but confirmed that discussions remain ongoing.
“I had hoped that the process of appointing a High Representative would be completed by the time I arrived, but it has not yet been completed,” Kallas said.
Addressing the role of the Office of the High Representative (OHR), Kallas stressed that its ultimate success would be measured by the day Bosnia and Herzegovina no longer requires international supervision. Until then, she said, the institution remains essential for preserving the country’s stability.
“The fastest way to get rid of international supervision is to make progress on the EU path,” she said, emphasizing that advancing toward European Union membership remains the strongest guarantee of long-term stability and prosperity for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region.
Kallas acknowledged that Bosnia and Herzegovina had demonstrated encouraging progress on its European integration agenda until 2024 but warned that the pace of reforms has since slowed significantly.
“BiH made good progress until 2024, but since then we have seen a worrying slowdown in progress,” she said.
Asked whether an agreement on the appointment of a new High Representative could be reached within the next 15 days and why the European Union did not support Antonio Zanardi Landi as a candidate, Kallas responded cautiously.
“We hope and are working on an EU candidate for the new High Representative. If we want to see the end of international supervision, the best way to do it is to have a limited mandate, which is also necessary because of the issues concerning EU integration. There were many good candidates who were proposed, and this is the way we work in the European Union. We have many candidates, but we are working to find one that would suit everyone,” Kallas said.
She concluded by reiterating that accelerating reforms and advancing on the European path remain the most effective way for Bosnia and Herzegovina to strengthen its institutions and eventually bring international oversight to an end.
