The European Union has suspended a EUR 5 million aid grant to Bosnia and Herzegovina because its authorities failed to complete preparations for two agriculture and rural development projects, the Office of the EU Special Representative (EUSR), Peter Sorensen, said on Wednesday.
The EUSR Office warned that failure by Bosnia and Herzegovina to align its legislation with that of the EU could result in losses of tens of millions of euros for the agriculture sector in the 2014-2020 period.
"The lack of progress in this sector is one example of the risk Bosnia and Herzegovina faces – the risk of falling behind countries in the region in EU integration. (...) In this case, lack of preparation and co-ordination means that farmers also may not have the possibility to benefit from future EU funds in the tens of millions of Euros intended for them," Sorensen said.
Sorensen added that this underlined the need for Bosnia and Herzegovina to agree on an EU co-ordination mechanism that would enable the country to speak with one voice. He did not rule out the possibility of the aid grant being terminated, which would be discussed by EU and Bosnian officials later this month.
