SARAJEVO, MARCH 23 (ONASA) – Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nenad Nešić is today on a working visit to Brussels, which he started with separate meetings with EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi and EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson.
The focus of the conversation between Minister Nešić and Commissioner Varhelyi was the European path of BiH and fulfilling the obligations of the security sector in this area.
It was pointed out that BiH’s status as a candidate for EU membership should be used to speed up the fulfillment of EU recommendations and the establishment of cooperation with EU security agencies.
Minister Nešić emphasized that for a safe and stable future of the region, it is of crucial importance to accelerate BiH’s European path.
“The agreed political goal of the Council of Ministers in this mandate is to work on joining the EU, and our cabinet treats it extremely seriously and with dedication. As Minister of Security, I insist on the only possible path to the EU – through agreements, compromises, talks and concrete results, all while respecting the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Nešić.
Nešić informed Commissioner Varhelyi that the last obstacles to the establishment of full operational cooperation with EUROPOL have been removed, which will be made official with the opening of the Contact Point office in the Ministry of Security in May and the dispatch of a liaison officer with EUROPOL to The Hague.
Also, the establishment of cooperation with FRONTEX was discussed, and optimism was expressed regarding the signing of an agreement on cooperation with this EU agency.
With Commissioner Johansson, special attention was paid to the management of migration and the return of migrants to their countries of origin.
Nešić emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is committed to more intensive cooperation with the countries of the Western Balkans and the European Union in the approach to migration management, especially in terms of preventing illegal migration and the joint fight against organized criminal groups.
They also discussed the joint fight against terrorism, prevention and fight against violent extremism, as well as cooperation and strengthening the fight against organized crime and corruption.