ONASA: The Slovenian Parliament has tonight at the special session ratified the Stabilization and Association Agreement of BiH with the EU.
This document the EU has signed with BiH on 16th of June, in the time of Slovenian presidency, and in October it has been ratified by the European Parliament as well.
Slovenia is among the first members of the EU, after Hungary and Lithuania, which has ratified the Agreement.
In discussion in the Parliament, the chairman of the Board for foreign policy, Ivo Vajgl and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Žbogar have pointed out the importance of the SAA and development of the region and its association with the EU, and efforts which Slovenia has in the period of presiding of the EU contributed into the association of the West Balkans with the EU.
Žbogar has especially emphasized his satisfaction by the fact that Slovenia is among the first members of the EU, which has ratified the Agreement.
The groups of delegates of dominating party of Social Democrats, opposition parties of Slovenian democrats, and Slovenian national party have pointed out historic connection between Slovenia and BiH, and the efforts which Slovenia contributed for signing during its presidency in the EU.
They have also mentioned the obstacles in the process of building of country of BiH and pointed out a positive stimulus which has been offered in it by the Agreement, and repeated that it will have a positive impact on the trade exchange of Slovenia and BiH.
Tonight has only the chief of Slovenian national party, Zmago Jelinčič reminded on some unsolved issues in relations between Slovenia and BiH, and once again has confirmed that all the countries of the West Balkans, including Croatia, should enter the EU in one package, because that is the only way to solve the unsolved questions in the region.
The European Parliament has confirmed the Agreement already in October and in the same time in the Resolution it warned the governments in Sarajevo that they have much more to do in the areas as are the public administration reforms, refugee return, education and future constitutional structure of the country.
The Parliament has then stated that BiH is being expected in the EU as a unified country, but not as individual entities, by strengthening of the role of the Special Representative of the EU in BiH.
In the Slovenia Parliament tonight, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Žbogar, has also supported further presence of the International Community in BiH, by pointing out that the BiH governments must take more responsibility for development of the country.
The SAA is for the countries of the West Balkans a key step on the way to the full membership in the EU. The goal of the Agreement, as its name says by itself, is to ensure the stability and prosperity in the region, which has been injured in the bloody war after falling apart of Yugoslavia.
In the process of stabilization and association, the countries in the "waiting room" for the entrance in the EU are adapting themselves to the European standards.
The signatory country must execute many political, economic and jurisdiction reforms, and the EU offers them in return a list of concrete benefits, by including the financial assistance, trade easements and easements of visa procedures as well.
The progress of each country is being tracked with attention and it is being graded regularly by the European Commission, which each autumn announces the report on their progress.