Speeches

Soon after I began my work as High Representative and EU Special Representative I accepted an invitation to participate in a debate with BiH students. I was happy to do that because I am well aware that ideas and initiatives emerging from the universities can help to get Bosnia and Herzegovina out of its present very serious difficulties.

The Central Election Commission is a BiH institution that works. It has supervised a succession of efficiently run elections, and by doing this it has played a key role in maintaining the integrity of democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It must continue to play this role, and any attempt to exert influence or control over the Central Election Comm [...]

The classical Spanish writer Baltasar Gracian observed – and I quote – “In great crises there is no better companion than a bold heart – and if it becomes weak it must be strengthened from the neighbouring parts.”

I have become accustomed in recent months to speaking at political and economic conferences where the debate is often strained and difficult. None of us should minimise the gravity of the crisis facing Bosnia and Herzegovina – even as we meet here this evening, tens of thousands of families across the country are being forced to contend with the sp [...]

Intensive consultations are underway to try and steer Bosnia and Herzegovina out of the political crisis that has now blocked progress for almost three years. At the end of last week I held talks in Brussels with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, and on Thursday I will meet Steering Board politi [...]

I am extremely pleased to be here today to welcome and to reiterate my strong support to the cooperation project between the Municipal Court of Sarajevo and the Basic Court of Banja Luka.

I am extremely pleased to host today's conference in support of the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to chair this meeting together with President Kreso and Chief Prosecutor Barasin;

BiH is 109th out of a 133 countries measured in this Report. It now fits between Uganda and Cambodia. Each of the past three years BiH has been going backward, while other countries go ahead. Uganda, for example, moved up 20 places to be ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina now.

Let me apologize at the beginning for having to take my leave from you immediately after these remarks, as I am expect over at the Joint Institutions Building for the Annual Conference related to International Anti-Corruption Day.

Perhaps I should begin by alluding to the title of today’s discussion, which in the light of the Global Financial Crisis may appear to be something of an oxymoron.