European Union leaders could grant Bosnia-Herzegovina official candidate status as early as December 15 in Brussels, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The move – a key step on the long road to EU membership, which would require the approval of all 27 EU member states – would give Bosnia a huge boost. It is still grappling with the effects of the 1990s Balkan wars, which ended with the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords.
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob told the EU-Western Balkans meeting in Tirana that it was “only a matter of time before the political decision is made”.
The technical details of Bosnia’s offer “show great progress” and he is still optimistic that a positive decision, which Slovenia is pushing for, can be reached next week in Brussels, Golob told reporters.
Bosnia is divided into two competing zones – the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska and the Bosnian-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – and the Bosnian Serb leader regularly speaks of a complete secession from the country.
They are often at loggerheads over issues ranging from army size to budget and land reform, although they avoid armed conflict.
The EU is helping to contain tensions by leaving open the possibility of membership, which has been delayed due to Bosnia’s slow progress on reforms, writes investor.bg.
