“Europe has listened to the citizens of Bosnia who want more jobs, more equality and fairness and less corruption. Now it’s up to Bosnia’s leaders to respond to these demands. Poverty, unemployment and social disadvantage are a daily concern for all of the country’s young people, and for their parents – without distinction of creed or ethnic origin. 85% of them want a European future for Bosnia, as the surveys recently published by the Government show. For these reasons, Italy firmly supports the new European Union agenda – expanded to include concrete economic and social reforms”.
These were the comments made by Under-Secretary Benedetto Della Vedova during an official visit to Sarajevo. He was speaking after his meeting with the Chairman of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegović, and with representatives of the other two Presidency members.
Assisted by Italian Ambassador Ruggero Corrias, Senator Della Vedova discussed bilateral relations and Bosnia’s difficult economic and social situation. He also commented on the opportunities opened up by the European integration process, not least in light of the EU’s new strategy for Bosnia as approved at the Foreign Affairs Council of 14 April 2014.
“Italy intends to support Bosnia in this new pathway”, he observed, “and, not least in light of our imminent EU Presidency, is paying close attention to developments in the situation in the period leading up to the October elections”.
Senator Della Vedova, whose visit to Sarejevo continues today 28 April, will be meeting the Speaker of theHouse of Peoples and leader of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ), Dragan Čović; the Deputy Foreign Minister, Ana Trišić-Babić; the head of the EU Delegation, Peter Sørensen; and the High Representative, Valentin Inzko. A meeting with representatives of civil society and of the Plenums of the main towns and cities affected by the protests in February 2014 is also planned.
Lastly, Under-Secretary Della Vedova will visit the Ars Aevi, a museum of contemporary art – a true cultural gem – that Italy has promoted and supported since it was first created.
