CEI-PD Parliamentary Committee meets in Sarajevo

In the framework of the CEI Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of the CEI Parliamentary Dimension on „How to improve infrastructure of CEI Member States with special focus on transport and energy“, took place in Sarajevo on 31 May.

The meeting was chaired by Monika Tomić, member of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A welcome speech was delivered by Mladen Bosić, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly who emphasised the CEI’s role in promoting the EU enlargement process as well as in providing valuable support to non-EU CEI Member States with aspirations of joining the EU. While commenting on the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosić underlined that the country had witnessed a steady progress in the last two decades, but he also pointed out the obstacles and delays in developing economies on their path towards Europe.
 
Considering that BiH - in dealing with the economic problems and the migration crisis  - was not much different from other European countries, Bosić highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and integration to overcome those problems. He also emphasised the role the CEI could play, especially its parliamentary dimension, in favouring cooperation with the Western Balkans. He also expressed hope that the gathering could send a strong message regarding the need for infrastructure connections and better exploitation of the energy resources in CEI Member States.
 
Participants were also addressed by Erik Csernovitz, CEI Deputy Secretary General, and by the representatives of the Ministry of Communications and Transport as well as of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
 

• The Declaration adopted at the end of the meeting is available here