Bosnia and Herzegovina has already made enough compromises with the European Union during negotiations relating to the trade regime and there won't be any new concessions, Bosnian Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Mirko Sarovic said in Sarajevo on Monday.
Sarovic was commenting on a letter sent by the Director General for Enlargement at the European Commission in Brussels Stefano Sannino in which Sannino requested that Bosnia allows Croatia and other EU member states to export their goods to that country without customs as of July 1. Sarovic said that this was unacceptable for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"That's absolutely unacceptable for us", Sarovic told reporters, stressing that the existing temporary trade agreement between Bosnia and the EU was no gift but the result of negotiations between two partners which now can only be technically modified.
He added that the agreement can only establish that Croatia becomes a new member of the Union while all the remaining provisions remain in force.
Negotiations can only be held on "equal footing" whereby Bosnia's interest is to secure additional markets for its sugar, fish and wines on EU markets.
"I respect our neighbours (Croatia)...but our interests are absolutely clear", he said, adding that companies in Bosnia needed to be protected once Croatia leaves the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) on June 30 which currently facilitates customs free exports to Bosnia.
Sarovic added that the final decision though would be brought by the Bosnian Council of Ministers.
Commenting on Bosnia's preparations for when Croatia joins the Union, Sarovic said that efforts were continuing to equip border crossings at Gradiska and Bijaca to facilitate the export of food products from Bosnia to EU markets.
"It is certain that these two crossings will be fully prepared on the Croatian side by July 1 but we are having some difficulties on our side", Sarovic said.
The problem with Bijaca in the south is with delays in the construction of access roads which probably won't be ready on time and will have to operate with some temporary regime. The crossing at Gradiska could represent a bottle-neck because of the narrow road on the Bosnian side. "There are already traffic jams occurring and these could be even denser" Sarovic said.
