President Milanović in Ohrid: If Ukraine gets EU candidate status, BiH must get candidate status the same day
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović is on a working visit to the Republic of North Macedonia, in Ohrid, where he participated in the international conference Prespa Forum Dialogue.
On the second day of his stay in Ohrid, President Milanović held a working meeting with the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, after which he said that the example of the Republic of North Macedonia demonstrates what EU candidate status means, and what it actually represents.
“You get candidate status and then for twenty years nothing. In this light one should and can see what is now, judging by yesterday’s visit to Kyiv by three representatives of the great powers, being offered to Ukraine – candidate status. There is some hope after all. Macedonia has been living with that hope for too long, and I’m surprised they haven’t lost it. And there’s a danger that the people will turn away from it, that they’ll simply move away, realize they’re getting the runaround. It’s up to the Bulgarians to decide and see where all this is taking them and the Macedonians,” said President Milanović following a meeting with Macedonian President Pendarovski, reiterating his commitment to North Macedonia to finally start negotiations with the EU.
President Milanović also pointed out the status of Bosnia and Herzegovina, saying that if Ukraine can get candidate status in its current circumstances, then the zero point of Croatian foreign, national and security policy should be Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Namely, Bosnia and Herzegovina is in a better situation than Ukraine in terms of security and every other sense. So, it would be good for anyone who is opposed to this to explain to me why they’re against, and I mean Brussels. As for us, Croatian politics and Croats, I expect this to be the zero point of politics and that the Government and its representatives, when it comes to granting candidate status to Ukraine and when this decision is made, to categorically condition that Bosnia and Herzegovina also gets it”, said President Milanović, adding that there is no reason, be it economic, security, humane or human, that if Ukraine gets candidate status, that Bosnia and Herzegovina does not get it. “I’m waiting for other actors in Croatian politics, statehood and foreign policy to declare themselves. So, Ukraine is a candidate, all right. Bosnia and Herzegovina must be a candidate on the very same day!”, President Milanović said in concluding his statement to the media.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek