A year ago today the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina cast their votes, but they continue to wait for a Council of Ministers to be appointed.

Last week’s meeting in Brcko showed that most of the party leaders were willing to take constructive steps and to compromise in order to find an agreement which would enable a new Council of Ministers to be appointed.

The Steering Board of the PIC today calls on the six party leaders to fulfil their democratic responsibility to the citizens of BiH to finalise an agreement on the formation of the Council of Ministers. Party leaders must now take the steps needed to reach agreement.

The Steering Board also calls on the party leaders and the current institutions of BiH to move to finalise and implement agreements on issues related to the county’s European agenda such as the law on state aid, credible efforts to implement the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the Sejdic-Finci case and the census law. This would enable BiH to achieve progress toward European integration. Resolution of defence property is important also for progress on Euro-Atlantic agenda.

While BiH has stagnated economically and politically, all three of its neighbours have taken significant strides forward toward integration with the EU. The time has come for Bosnia and Herzegovina also to take decisive steps forward.