Dnevni avaz: International politic-economic gathering, Forum Crans Montana has ended yesterday in the Congress hall of the hotel “Radon Plaza” in Sarajevo by speech of the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn.
Rehn has once again confirmed that the “process of expanding the EU on the West Balkans is one of the priorities of the Union”.
Fulfill the conditions
The European perspective of this region which achieves the strong progress towards the EU, has been confirmed. "Next year will be a key year for continued development of events on the West Balkans and Turkey, we expect that the countries will continue to fulfill conditions" Rehn has said. He said how signing the SAA of BiH with the EU has offered the chance which should not be missed.
"SAA is a gate for the status of candidate. It is about actions, performing and results, and not only about words" Rehn said.
He also said that the key challenge for BiH leaders is achieving the stage of political consensus in relation with reform related to the EU.
"I am aware that the citizens of this country want to join the EU, want to be a member of the European family and now it is up to the BiH leaders to fulfill those wishes and that reform related to the EU is put on the top of political program" Rehn has pointed out.
Economic crisis
He said that the EU prepares the new plan of strategic partnership with the East Europe, on which will, as he said, the Council of the EU deliberate the next week. He also mentioned the economic crisis which shakes the financial markets in the US and the EU.
If nothing else, this crisis has shown that united markets act and that the effects are transferring from one to another – Rehn said.
Visa abolishment
When speaking of liberalization of visa regime, Rehn has said that he was told by the authorized Commissioner Jagues Barrot that the countries are making the progress which will result in abolishment of visa regime. For this will, according to him, be needed to do all the necessary changes in the area of security.
Carteron satisfied
The president of the Crans Montana Forum, Jean-Paul Carteron has said that the Forum has been very successful and that it achieved to gather more than 250 participants from abroad. "We have brought many significant economists, bank investors and this was the first time that BiH hosts such delegations which are anyway planning to continue their performance in BiH" Carteron has said to the journalists.
Rehn has talked to Branković
Rehn has also met with the Federal Prime Minister, Nedžad Branković, and talked about the measures of economic policy which has been performed by the Government of the FBiH. Branković has introduced Rehn to the reforms which are being performed by the government of this entity in accordance with the European standards and demands.