EU enlargement: Plenković (Croatia) insists on merit for the candidate countries

Writing via social media after the meeting with the European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Marta KosPlenković said he agreed that enlargement must be based on each country’s individual progress. “We believe that an approach based on individual results and meeting criteria should remain the fundamental principle throughout the enlargement process,” he said.

Plenković underlined that Bosnia and Herzegovina and its path towards the EU are of particular importance for Croatia. “We support changes to the electoral law to ensure the equality of all three constituent peoples of Bosnia-Herzegovina,” he said.

In the morning, the prime minister also met Dragan Čović, president of the Upper House of the Bosnian Parliament, who stated that respect for the equality of the peoples constituting the country is essential for its European path and internal stability. “Therefore, we support further reforms necessary to start accession negotiations,” Plenković told Kos.

Bosnia and Herzegovina obtained EU candidate country status in December 2022, but has not yet started accession negotiations because it does not meet the necessary membership criteria. Plenković also referred to Ukraine, which is facing Russian invasion, and Moldova, which remains under strong Russian political influence.

“The new geopolitical circumstances are creating a more favorable environment to accelerate the pace of enlargement,” he said, calling on the EU to offer these countries a clear European perspective.