The EU will continue supporting peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed Wednesday, noting that this has become particularly important after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Borrell arrived in Sarajevo at the end of his regional tour. He attended a ceremony at the EUFOR base outside Sarajevo, marking the completion of the process of strengthening the EU military contingent in the country.
Sometimes it is necessary to show strength to secure peace, the EU official said in an address at the event.
EUFOR has been strengthened by an additional 500 troops, meaning there is now a total of 1,100 troops tasked with the increased monitoring of the situation on the ground and rapid response in case of security threats.
Borrell told reporters the additional troops were deployed as a precaution even though currently there was no direct threat to security and peace in the country. He explained that the EU wanted to ensure the possibility of response in case of any crisis.
“To everyone thinking about destabilising Europe and the Western Balkans, my message is clear: Operation Althea is here to prevent it,” Borrell said, adding that the EU would keep the mission in BiH as long as necessary with the mandate to preserve peace.
Borrell called on everyone in BiH to work together instead of generating new conflicts and blocking state institutions, noting that that was a precondition for reforms based on which the country can obtain EU candidate status, including changes to the election law.