By Canadian Press

EU leaders agree on opening membership talks with Bosnia, but with many strings are attached

Mar 21, 2024 | 2:15 PM

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders agreed in principle Thursday to open membership negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, even though the Western Balkan country must still do a lot of work before talks can begin.

The 27 leaders gave the political green light at a summit in Brussels after the European Commission — the EU’s executive arm — last week agreed to start talks in spite of deep lingering ethnic divisions in the nation with 3.2 million inhabitants.

“The European Council has just decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Congratulations!”, EU Council president Charles Michel said.

“Your place is in our European family.”

Michel followed it up immediately with a warning that a lot of work remains to be done before the country can join.

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“Now the hard work needs to continue so Bosnia and Herzegovina steadily advances, as your people want,” he said.

Samuel Petrequin, The Associated Press