I came to Sarajevo as part of the second leg of a regional tour. My message with this tour is primarily regional, echoing the message the EU’s foreign ministers expressed here in Sarajevo on the 2nd of June this year. By visiting all the capitals of the Western Balkans before the end of this year, I wanted to express my personal commitment to the stability, security and the European perspective of the region.

I firmly believe the EU’s international weight and credibility begins in its immediate neighbourhood. Europe is committed to a European perspective of the Western Balkans. Europe does a lot of efforts to support the Western Balkans. Technical and financial assistance for the region is over 2 billion Euros from 2010 to 2012. A lot of efforts are also done by the countries.

I came to Sarajevo with the message of European engagement and encouragement. I would like to re-confirm to you that the EU will remain actively engaged in Bosnia, will support the vision of a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country, and will remain committed to Bosnia’s European perspective. Simply put, the European integration of the Western Balkans cannot be successful without Bosnia.

But time is running, and Bosnia’s progress is slower that we hoped for. When the region is making strides on the European path, Bosnia and Herzegovina should not be staying behind. This is not in the country’s interest, not in the region’s interest, and certainly not in the European Union’s interest.

Therefore, my other message is to encourage the leadership of Bosnia and Herzegovina to embrace the political reforms necessary for progress on the European road.

Progress towards membership of the world’s largest single market will be an invaluable asset in attracting foreign investment and reducing unemployment. With the core EU values of tolerance and respect for diversity, this process should also serve as an anchor for multi-ethnic society. I would also like to recall the EU’s support to the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a sovereign and united country.

The EU’s steadfast support to Bosnia’s European vocation goes hand-in-hand with our expectations to keep pace of the reform process. After the October elections Bosnia and Herzegovina has a new opportunity to generate momentum on the necessary reforms, and focus on the EU agenda with renewed vigour. Progress in the fields of constitutional reform, the census law and the full implementation of the Interim Agreement will remain in the forefront of the EU’s attention. I encourage all the political stakeholders in the country to invest efforts and energy in all necessary actions and reforms that could help Bosnia on this road.

Enlargement will remain a performance based process, with steady focus on meeting the standards and criteria of European integration. The rule of law and democracy agenda will remain of central importance in the foreseeable future.

The European Union will continue to support Bosnia and Herzegovina: we support it as one country, able to speak with one voice and willing to progress firmly on the road towards the EU membership. We stand ready to help and assist, but the primary work lies with Bosnia and Herzegovina and its politicians.

Too much time has been lost. The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina deserve swift and decisive action. They deserve progress, prosperity and the perspective of a better future. There is no alternative, only the European perspective will realise this vision for Bosnia.

Video coverage of the trips and meetings will be available for download in broadcast quality from the

Council TV newsroom http://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu

Photos covering the event will be available for download in high resolution from the Council Photo Library

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/photo

Direct link to the press-release