Foreign Minister meets politicians from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak (a Smer-SD nominee) on Sunday (October 27) met with Serb member of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) Milorad Dodik, and Vice-chair of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina and leader of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragan Covic. The meeting was a follow-up to previous activities of the Slovak Presidency of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and was aimed at contributing to international mediation between political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina. "The aim is to support the search for a way out of the political stalemate that has resulted in a blockade of BiH institutions lasting more than a year after the most recent general election," said the diplomacy ministry. Despite the lack of consensus among European leaders as to the launching of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania, Lajcak encouraged both sides to take every opportunity to demonstrate specific steps that will bring Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to the European Union, its values and standards. The minister identified as a priority the formation of a new "BiH Council of Ministers", which, according to him, would help achieve an internal consensus on the country's transatlantic links acceptable to all relevant political players in the country.