This week, the leaders of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) political parties took a major step towards providing BiH with a modern police service that will fight crime and serve citizens. The agreement on police restructuring reached at Vlasic also represents a major step towards fulfilling the requirements laid out in the EC Feasibility Study.

It is vitally important that the politicians continue the work that they have begun and carry it to a successful conclusion, by finalising the details of the Vlasic Agreement and incorporating the complete Agreement in enacted legislation.

In order to remain within the timeframe of BiH's effort to meet Feasibility Study requirements - and stay on track towards the opening of Stabilisation and Association negotiations with the EU - the Entity parliaments must ratify the final Political agreement before the end of May.

The EU has been positively and proactively engaged from the beginning. The EU Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPM) in particular has provided constant technical and practical input to the police reform process. The EU will continue to offer whatever support may be required.

There is little time, but there is a huge amount of popular support. The party leaders have shown wisdom, foresight and good faith, which has carried them this far; it can carry them - and the whole of BiH - to a successful conclusion.

This chance must not be missed.

This statement is attributable to Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman of Javier Solana