Spindelegger: "New Government in Bosnia must quickly resume its course towards Europe"

Application for EU membership is the target for 2012Vienna, 10 February 2012 – Austrian Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger welcomed the official confirmation of a government cabinet in Sarajevo – one and a half years after the general elections of October 2010. "I welcome the approval of a new State-level government in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now it is up to Prime Minister Vjekoslav Bevanda and his team to get the country back on track towards reforms in order to meet the goal of applying for EU membership in 2012."

The Vice Chancellor stressed that it is important for the coalition government composed of representatives of all three major ethnic groups and the most important political parties to immediately prepare a concrete roadmap and work programme that ensure the country continues to move towards EU membership. "In appointing a government, the country has fulfilled the political framework conditions for resuming its course towards Europe. Now Bosnia and Herzegovina is called upon to remedy procedural omissions from the transition period, such as adopting a comprehensive state budget, and to implement further reforms in order to pave the way for the country's accession to the EU", Spindelegger added.

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