European Union members should open talks with Bosnia on joining, the EU’s executive branch says
PBS NewsHourMar 06
Bosnia and Herzegovina: EU Leaders Approve Membership Talks
story
Image copyright: Thierry Monasse/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
EU leaders agreed at a summit in Brussels on Thursday to open accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina, eight years after the Western Balkan country officially applied for membership to the bloc.
Charles Michel, president of the European Council, described the move on X as "a key step forward" on the country's path to EU accession and said that Bosnia's "place is in our European family" but that the country still had "hard work" to do.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This decision is another milestone in the history of successive EU enlargements. With the opening of negotiations, Sarajevo is reaping the fruits of its impressive reform steps and progress in adopting important legislation, while the decision will further boost Bosnia's commitment to implementing further criteria for EU membership. The bloc continues to inspire, and its expansion ensures that it will remain a unique success model for promoting democracy, freedom and prosperity in a rapidly changing world.
Establishment-critical narrative
Following the opening of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, Thursday's decision is a further step that threatens to discredit the entire accession process, as Bosnia is also far from having achieved the necessary reform targets. The EU is in danger of turning to geopolitically motivated enlargement instead of maintaining clear economic and political admission criteria. However, size is not synonymous with stability and strength, and the bloc should rethink its standards and reflect on how it defines itself.
