Public speech by President von der Leyen in Bosnia and Herzegovina October 28 Sarajevo

Dear members of the presidency-elect,

Honourable members of the joint college,

Incoming deputies,

Dear representatives of business and civil society,

EU Ambassadors,

And of course, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here with you in Sarajevo at this historic moment for Bosnia and Herzegovina. But before I talk about this beautiful city and this wonderful country, let me take you for a moment to the city where I was born and where I live today. And this is the city of Brussels. In the heart of Brussels, there is a piece of Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is a huge colorful mural, painted by a young artist from Sarajevo – whose name is Rikardo Druškić. It brings light and joy from the Balkans into the sometimes very gray weather of Brussels. But beyond its beauty, the fresco sends a very clear message: it says that Bosnia and Herzegovina has its place in the heart of the European Union. You are part of Europe. So you belong to our Union. And it was so moving to see the European flag shining on three iconic monuments in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar – to celebrate our proposal to make Bosnia and Herzegovina a candidate country for EU membership. This is your success. And you can be so proud of that. Because our flag, which was visible tonight, will also be your flag. It belongs to this country. And that’s why I came here today. This is what I want to say to all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. You are the future of the European Union. Your future is the European Union. It belongs to this country. And that’s why I came here today. This is what I want to say to all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. You are the future of the European Union. Your future is the European Union. It belongs to this country. And that’s why I came here today. This is what I want to say to all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. You are the future of the European Union. Your future is the European Union.

And it’s not just because you’ve achieved candidate status. It is also because the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina believe deeply in Europe. More than three quarters of your citizens support EU membership. There is a solid majority in favor of it in all regions of the country. And this faith in Europe is even stronger among the young. For the youth of this country, among others, Europe is synonymous with economic prosperity. This means, for example, freedom of movement. But that’s not all. The road to our Union is also the road to a better Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is about making this country the dream country of young people. There is a whole generation of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who were born after the war. They respect the past. But they do not want their country to be defined and divided solely by its tragic past. They want a united country. They want a country that has a common goal. Born from the experience of the past, but open and ready for the future. And membership in the European Union is part of this common goal. And you, the new leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of this country, you are the people who can realize their dream. You are the one who holds the key to these young people’s dreams. Through your political work, and this is a huge responsibility, the country has a unique opportunity to move forward. This is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s moment, and I would like to encourage everyone here, each of you here and working for this country, to seize this moment. They want a united country. They want a country that has a common goal. Born from the experience of the past, but open and ready for the future. And membership in the European Union is part of this common goal. And you, the new leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of this country, you are the people who can realize their dream. You are the one who holds the key to these young people’s dreams. Through your political work, and this is a huge responsibility, the country has a unique opportunity to move forward. This is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s moment, and I would like to encourage everyone here, each of you here and working for this country, to seize this moment. They want a united country. They want a country that has a common goal. Born from the experience of the past, but open and ready for the future. And membership in the European Union is part of this common goal. And you, the new leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of this country, you are the people who can realize their dream. You are the one who holds the key to these young people’s dreams. Through your political work, and this is a huge responsibility, the country has a unique opportunity to move forward. This is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s moment, and I would like to encourage everyone here, each of you here and working for this country, to seize this moment. but open and ready for the future. And membership in the European Union is part of this common goal. And you, the new leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of this country, you are the people who can realize their dream. You are the one who holds the key to these young people’s dreams. Through your political work, and this is a huge responsibility, the country has a unique opportunity to move forward. This is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s moment, and I would like to encourage everyone here, each of you here and working for this country, to seize this moment. but open and ready for the future. And membership in the European Union is part of this common goal. And you, the new leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of this country, you are the people who can realize their dream. You are the one who holds the key to these young people’s dreams. Through your political work, and this is a huge responsibility, the country has a unique opportunity to move forward. This is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s moment, and I would like to encourage everyone here, each of you here and working for this country, to seize this moment. You are the one who holds the key to these young people’s dreams. Through your political work, and this is a huge responsibility, the country has a unique opportunity to move forward. This is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s moment, and I would like to encourage everyone here, each of you here and working for this country, to seize this moment. You are the one who holds the key to these young people’s dreams. Through your political work, and this is a huge responsibility, the country has a unique opportunity to move forward. This is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s moment, and I would like to encourage everyone here, each of you here and working for this country, to seize this moment.

This is also the meaning of our recommendation to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Once again, from the bottom of my heart: my most sincere congratulations for what you have accomplished. This is your success. Without your work, this would not have been possible. The last four years, I know, have not always been easy. Because of COVID-19 for example, because of the war in Ukraine, because of deep political divisions. And yet, even in difficult circumstances, progress has been made – on public procurement for example, on joining the Union’s civil protection mechanism for example. Or another success earlier this week on Europol cooperation – which you got. And these examples should teach a very simple lesson. The lesson is this: if there is a political will, there is a way to get there. This is the lesson of the past. It is now time for the country to come together again and move forward on the road to the European Union. I will not dwell on the eight stages of reform that we have clearly outlined in our recommendation. We all know that adopting these reforms will not be easy. But I would like to invite you to always set your sights on what is at the end of that road. Because Bosnia and Herzegovina, with your work, will be a country, for example, where all will be equal before the law. It will be a country where young people will showcase their talent and where their hard work will lead to success. They love their country. They want opportunities here in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will be an attractive country for investors. You have the key to this in your hands. It will be a country where everyone feels represented – young and old, people who identify themselves as Bosnians, as Serbs and Croats, as well as people who simply feel they are citizens of this country. Reforms are not only important because they lead to the European Union, they are important because they will make your country a better place for all its people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The door to the European Union is open. Please take the opportunity and use this invitation. It is now up to you to walk through this open door together. The more you do this, the more you help me to support your country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example to defend the candidate status in the European Council and to advocate for your country. And I know I can count on you. This is your historic responsibility as the new leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina. That’s a lot of responsibility on your shoulders – I know that. But I’m sure you’re capable of wearing it. And rest assured: we will always be at your side. This is my personal promise. Our proposed candidate status is a very clear political statement. And we will support you, your reforms and your work, and accompany you along the way.

Much of the work is already underway. I remember that a year ago, during my last visit, I crossed a bridge financed by the EU that connects Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Later today, I will inaugurate the Ivan tunnel. It will of course improve the connection from Mostar to Sarajevo and, further north, to Budapest. But this Ivan tunnel is much more than that, it is very symbolic because it shows that Bosnia and Herzegovina is at the heart of Europe and that you should also be at the heart of our trade and economic achievements. I think that this cooperation – which we are enabling, which we are opening up not only physically with the Ivan Tunnel, but also by making sure that the trade and economic exchanges between us become more fluid and more intense – is even more crucial at a time when this horrible Russian war in Ukraine is raging. We see that Russia is not only waging war on Ukraine, it is also waging war on the energy side. And energy problems affect vulnerable families as much as they do, for example, businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises. For us in the European Union, it is important to stand by you. Therefore, as in the European Union, I would like to announce here in Bosnia and Herzegovina that we are developing an energy security package for the Western Balkans. It will provide €70 million in grant support to Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s important now, as immediate support, for example to support vulnerable families and vulnerable businesses, small and medium-sized businesses that are going through a difficult time. And there is a second part that is at least as important: it is – in the medium term, for the Western Balkans – 500 million euros in grants for infrastructure. Infrastructures of the future so that together we can be more energy independent. Investments in interconnections, for example. Investments in renewable energy because every kilowatt hour of renewable energy produced here is clean energy at home that creates good jobs for the region and makes us energy independent and gives us security of supply. I’m talking about solar, I’m talking about wind turbines or biomass plants. These are energy projects that can be built in less than a year. So here’s an opportunity to seize it and really take that investment and make a big step forward. Investments in renewable energy because every kilowatt hour of renewable energy produced here is clean energy at home that creates good jobs for the region and makes us energy independent and gives us security of supply. I’m talking about solar, I’m talking about wind turbines or biomass plants. These are energy projects that can be built in less than a year. So here’s an opportunity to seize it and really take that investment and make a big step forward. Investments in renewable energy because every kilowatt hour of renewable energy produced here is clean energy at home that creates good jobs for the region and makes us energy independent and gives us security of supply. I’m talking about solar, I’m talking about wind turbines or biomass plants. These are energy projects that can be built in less than a year. So here’s an opportunity to seize it and really take that investment and make a big step forward.

I know that many people in the country are feeling anxious because of the war that is raging. Not only has Russia launched an assault on the fundamental international rules that have ensured peace and security in the region since 1995, but it is also having a direct impact on the economic situation of our European Union and thus on all the peoples of the Western Balkans and the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As much as the challenge is there, I think the best solution is in an even closer cooperation and to stand together. It is in your immediate interest to work more closely together in our single market and to work towards EU membership. Because we all know from experience that no matter what the challenge is – and we have faced many challenges over the past year – if we stand together, if we work together, we are strong and unbeatable.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are living in a time of rapid change in the Western Balkans and Europe. As you know, we have opened accession negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia. We have also granted candidate country status to Ukraine and Moldova, and we have recognized Georgia’s European perspective. What I mean is that there is a new impetus, there is a wind of change that brings the European family together. And now it’s time for Bosnia and Herzegovina to move forward, too. Let’s be honest, it seemed impossible, we couldn’t think of it, that we would achieve candidate status, if we thought back a year [it seemed impossible a year ago, we couldn’t think of it, that we would achieve candidate status]. And yet today, I am here with you in Sarajevo, we can celebrate together that you have achieved candidate status. Therefore, Let me tell you again: if there is a will, then there is a way to realize your dream. And if Bosnia and Herzegovina finds a common goal, nothing can stop you.

Let me give you a small example for this, which is important in its effect. This summer, the success story of a young girl from Mostar literally made waves all over the world. It was and still is the 16-year-old swimmer Lana Pudar who won, as you know, the European gold medal in the women’s 200-meter butterfly and broke all records in Bosnia and Herzegovina. His story is the story of his country. It was not easy for her to train and achieve this huge success. For example, she would not be able to train in the city that does not have an Olympic pool. But Lana succeeded against all odds. And now, due to its success, a new Olympic pool will be built in Mostar. Lana has become a symbol, not only for her hometown, not only for her community, but she has become a symbol throughout the country. His victory was celebrated by all the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in all entities and across all borders. This is the dream of your young people. This is the dream of your country. It is the dream of being united. United in the diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, united with your neighbors in one European family. And believe me, like Lana, this dream can come true. This dream can come true if you take responsibility, if we stand together and make the most of the responsibility the people have given you. So I want you to know that I will always be by your side. I know you have a lot of work ahead of you. But now is the time to seize it. United in the diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, united with your neighbors in one European family. And believe me, like Lana, this dream can come true. This dream can come true if you take responsibility, if we stand together and make the most of the responsibility the people have given you. So I want you to know that I will always be by your side. I know you have a lot of work ahead of you. But now is the time to seize it. United in the diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, united with your neighbors in one European family. And believe me, like Lana, this dream can come true. This dream can come true if you take responsibility, if we stand together and make the most of the responsibility the people have given you. So I want you to know that I will always be by your side. I know you have a lot of work ahead of you. But now is the time to seize it.

Thank you for your patience, for listening to me. And please join us in working together.

Thank you very much.