Original title: Bosnia and Herzegovina has officially become a candidate member of the European Union
Xinhua News Agency, Brussels, December 15 (Reporter Ren Ke) On the 15th the European Council decided to grant Bosnia-Herzegovina the status of candidate country for membership of the European Union.
The two-day EU Winter Summit kicked off on the 15th in Brussels, Belgium. In a statement released that evening, the European Council said it agreed with the European Commission’s 12 October proposal to grant Bosnia and Herzegovina EU candidate status. The European Council assessed the situation of candidate countries and EU partners, developed guidelines for reform priorities and reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to EU enlargement policies, the statement said.
Michel, president of the European Council, said on social media that day that Bosnia and Herzegovina being given candidate country status is a clear expectation for the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina to implement reforms.
Becirovic, a member of the Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Bosnia and Herzegovina should seize this opportunity and move quickly towards a full member of the European Union. The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Prime Minister) Tegeltia said that being a candidate for the European Union is a strong motivation for Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue implementing reforms aimed at improving people’s living conditions.
Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for EU membership in 2016, and the European Commission accepted the application in 2019. On 12 October this year, the European Commission adopted the “2022 Expansion Package Document”, suggesting that Bosnia and Herzegovina should be granted EU candidate status.
Since the beginning of this year, the speed of EU enlargement has significantly accelerated. On 23 June, the European Council granted EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. (Participating reporter: Zhang Xiuzhi)
