EU accepts BiH's membership application

BELGRADE - The European Union's 28 member states accepted Bosnia and Herzegovina's membership application and ordered the Commission to prepare an assessment of the Balkan country's readiness to join the bloc, euractiv.com reports.

According to a statement by the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU, the EU members welcomed the progress made by the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities in implementing their reform agenda and invited them to continue their efforts to the benefit of their citizens.

This should include socio-economic reforms, reforms in the area of rule of law and public administration.

The formal application for accession was made on 15 February by the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragan Čović. Tabling the application opens a long process of assessment and of decision making in granting candidate status, followed by a new...