EU to recommend membership talks with Bosnia: von der Leyen

The European Commission will recommend on Tuesday to the  European UnionCouncil to start accession negotiations with  Bosnia and Herzegovina, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced.

"Today we will decide to recommend to the Council to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina," she said in a speech to the European Parliament.

The Western Balkan country is among six nations who are at different stages of the EU accession. Since  Russia's war on Ukraine, EU officials have sought to lure them away from Russian influence.

Bosnia has met the EU terms

The announcement means the EU executive is satisfied with Bosnia and the country has met the criteria to begin formal talks on joining the EU.

"Bosnia is now fully aligned with our foreign and security policy, which is crucial in these times of geopolitical turmoil," the commissiob president said.

Von der Leyen said the commission will publish a progress report detailing how Bosnia has met those terms. 

However, the decision to begin talks needs unanimous approval from the leaders of the 27 EU member states, represented in the European Council.

Bosnia applied to join the EU in 2016 and the council recognized it as a formal candidate for membership in 2022. In November last year, the commission said accession talks should begin once the country has fulfilled certain criteria.
 

ssa/nm (AFP, AP)