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President Katalin Novák visited Sarajevo, where on Tuesday she met members of the Presidency of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina and held talks with Borjana Kristo, President of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The talks focused on the European integration of the Western Balkans, the EUFOR Althea mission – which will be led by a Hungarian general, Major General László Sticz – demographic issues and the strengthening of economic and cultural relations.
Katalin Novák reiterated Hungary’s commitment to the European integration of the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, and praised the role of Hungarian soldiers in the EU mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The head of state said that
the EU without the Western Balkans is like soup without salt: it is edible, but everyone feels that something is missing.”
On Wednesday, the President will visit EUFOR Althea, where she will lay a wreath at the statue of the fallen soldiers and attend the handover ceremony of the mission’s command.
Katalin Novák stressed that the EU is characterized by enlargement fatigue, but that the Western Balkan countries should also take advantage of the enlargement dynamics that is starting with the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. The President said that Hungary, during its past EU Presidency, had made progress with regards to the region’s EU integration, and that this would be one of the priorities of the Hungarian EU Presidency in the second half of the year.
On the EUFOR Althea mission, she praised the role of Hungarian soldiers in the EU mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She stressed that the fact that a Hungarian general is taking over the leadership of the mission is also an indication of the importance of Hungary’s role.
Via MTI; Featured Image: FB Katalin Novák