We are here together with EU ambassadors to celebrate Europe Day, or Europe Week, also in Banja Luka. 

We are at the end of our trip that we started ten days ago in Zenica, followed then by Sarajevo, Mostar, Sutjeska National Park, Tuzla and now Banja Luka.

The objective of this visit was to once again talk about the European Union, the values of the EU, how EU values are important for Bosnia and Herzegovina and for Republika Srpska, here in Banja Luka.

Two concepts - first Team Europe. We have been travelling, not only myself but with many of my colleagues. Today in Banja Luka having other ambassadors with me is a very important message – the whole EU and its Member States are in Banja Luka to repeat the same messages – the European Union is the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of Republika Srpska. We believe that the door to the EU is wide open but at the same time authorities have to do more in order to meet the requirements to open the negotiations. 

It has been more than one year since the European Council gave the green light to open the negotiations and unfortunately, we still don’t have the first Intergovernmental Conference. We hope that will happen, but unfortunately now we are in a deep constitutional crisis and we have to acknowledge the fact that this crisis is now blocking the path to the EU. The EU process is the best tool for stability, for long-term security. Our call is to focus back on this process, do what is necessary to be done, adopt the laws, appoint the Chief Negotiator, make sure that the country restarts this process to the future where it belongs – Europe, and the European Union.

The EU is not only regulations, directives, norms. It is a vision where the people are at the centre. Here in Banja Luka, we are here together with 14 of my colleagues to explain the concrete benefits that EU brings to the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Banja Luka and in Republika Srpska.

We have implemented so many projects in the city of Banja Luka, we have built new schools, playgrounds, football fields. We are now working with the Mayor to open - hopefully soon - a Europe House in Banja Luka – a place where citizens of Banja Luka can come, use the place for their meetings, discussions on European Union issues or many others. We want the EU to be visible in Banja Luka because Banja Luka is European and we would like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, Banja Luka to join the EU.  

To conclude, a clear message – you are very much welcome in the European Union. We want you to join us, the door is wide open, we need to focus back on this issue. We need to stop taking unconstitutional actions and focus on the future. This is the Day of Europe. Sretan Dan Evrope!