NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg revealed the conditions for Bosnia and Herzegovina's membership in the alliance at a joint press conference with the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović, APA reports.
"Well Bosnia and Herzegovina has the status as a country which has the Membership Action Plan. It is activated for Bosnia and Herzegovina and of course the purpose of the Membership Action Plan is to make Bosnia and Herzegovina a member of NATO. But to do so, to finalise that process, there are two conditions," NATO Chief said.
He stated that one is of course, that the reforms that are necessary to implement are really implemented: "So Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to continue its reform efforts. And I think it's important to understand that to strengthen the government institutions, to strengthen the multi-ethnic nature of for instance the armed forces, these are good things to do, regardless of membership in NATO but also helps to move towards the membership of NATO. So the reforms has value, have their value in themselves, but also helps towards membership of NATO. And these reforms are also helping Bosnia and Herzegovina to move towards EU membership. So reforms strengthening governance and public institutions, democratic institutions, is the first condition."
Stoltenberg noted that the second is of course, that it has to be wanted by the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the political authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina: "And that’s not for me to decide, that’s for Bosnia and Herzegovina to decide. But I think we need to realise that even though, perhaps membership is not something that will happen tomorrow. The efforts to move towards membership will strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina, will stabilise the country and also help to realise EU membership."
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