NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated on Monday in Sarajevo that the North Atlantic Alliance is concerned about the rhetoric of division and Russian influence in the region.
This was the first visit of the NATO chief to Bosnia and Herzegovina, after which he will arrive in Kosovo later today.
“It threatens the minimum of stability and weakens reforms. All leaders must work to move forward. It is very important for us, and we are committed to the security and stability of this region, and your country is crucial for the Western Balkans region, so we are deepening our political dialogue and practical cooperation,” Stoltenberg said in Sarajevo.
He added that the allies “strongly support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
Stoltenberg also met with the Chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto, on Monday morning.
Krišto said that Bosnia and Herzegovina is part of the Membership Action Plan (MAP), which, according to her, shows that NATO has made a political decision that it can become a member of the alliance.
“We need to reach a political consensus and, through dialogue, come to positions that are very important for Bosnia and Herzegovina when it comes to cooperation with NATO,” Krišto said.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s High Representative Christian Schmidt said after the meeting with Stoltenberg that it is necessary to build trust in the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and this is, among many things, the responsibility of local politicians.
“We are working on this, and we need the support of the EU and NATO,” Schmidt said.
Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of the High Representative for reconciliation processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, adding that “any attempt to undermine his position will set Bosnia and Herzegovina back”.
Stoltenberg arrived in Bosnia on Sunday evening and dined with the members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Denis Bećirović, a member of the Presidency of Bosnia, announced on Facebook that during the visit, the NATO chief said that the military alliance remains a guarantor of the security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“He said that NATO does not approve rhetoric that encourages division and jeopardizes the functioning of the institutions of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s paths towards Europe and NATO are sustainable, and that NATO will support reform processes that bring Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to NATO and the European Union,” Bećirović wrote.
Earlier, Stoltenberg had stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with Georgia and Moldova, belongs to the countries that deserve special attention from NATO.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s path to NATO
In 2010, Bosnia and Herzegovina was invited to join the MAP, which is the first step towards membership in the alliance but, at the same time, does not foresee any decision on membership in the future.
As part of the MAP, the country’s cooperation with NATO is structured through Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Reform Program, which highlights the reforms that the government aims to undertake and facilitates support from NATO for these efforts.
In July, NATO leaders told the Western Balkan countries that this region is strategically important for the alliance and confirmed their commitment to ensuring the security and stability of the Western Balkans.
They supported reforms that strengthen the aspirations of the countries in the region towards NATO and the EU, as highlighted in the document of July 11, at the end of the first day of the summit held in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius.
“We will continue to improve political dialogue and practical cooperation to support reforms, regional peace, and security, and fight against malicious influence, including disinformation, hybrid threats, and cyber threats from state and non-state actors,” said the leaders of the military alliance at the time.
Stoltenberg’s mandate at the helm of NATO was extended until October 2024. He has held this position since 2014.
