Vanja Filipovic

@armmission_nato @JafarHuseynzade Ambassador Vanja Filipovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦

As we continue our political dialogue, great meeting #BiH Presidency to exchange views & take stock of our cooperation. Recent adoption of key documents, such as ITPP and Reform Programme, helps us further strengthen our partnership. NATO’s committment to BiH remains steadfast

This morning 🇪🇺 commissioner Marta #Kos delivered a speech before state-level parliamentarians in #Sarajevo. Kos came with an offer: “to be 🇧🇦’s strongest advocate in Brussels and European capitals.” For what goal? To ensure that the generation of young politicians she met at the #BledStrategicForum earlier this month is “not another lost generation, deprived of the chance to see their country join the 🇪🇺 within their professional careers.” She reminded her audience of what 🇧🇦 and the 🇪🇺 have already achieved, and how important the 🇪🇺 is for the country: visa liberalisation, investments, trade, and candidate status. Kos stressed that 🇪🇺 membership is what the citizens of 🇧🇦 want, as well as the majority of 🇪🇺 citizens—quoting 🇦🇹🇸🇮🇭🇷, where 🇧🇦 enjoys the strongest public support among all 🇪🇺 candidates. She warned against unilateral, illegal, and disruptive actions, while at the same time presenting 🇪🇺 accession as the path to address 🇧🇦’s long-standing political concerns in an orderly manner: “systemic flaws,” “anomalies in the 🇧🇦 system,” and “international supervision.” She framed it as the way to build “a modern and functional state” that would “protect the autonomy of all, as provided for in your constitution.” Kos highlighted two expectations: By the end of this month: adoption of the reform agenda, required to benefit from the EU Growth Plan. She was clear: 🇧🇦 could lose 1 billion euros by 2027—starting with 100 million euros by 30 September (on top of 100 million already lost). The money is intended for building roads, cheaper energy, and better internet connections. Kos highlighted the Growth Plan’s other benefits: enabling money transfers from the eurozone to 🇧🇦 without fees, and free roaming. Kos made explicit what is missing for the agenda to be adopted: “renewed engagement from Republika Srpska.” By the end of this year: adoption of a new law on courts and a new law on the high judicial and prosecutorial council, both fully in line with 🇪🇺 standards; and the appointment of a chief negotiator with the 🇪🇺. This would allow the European Commission to propose a negotiating framework to member states and launch the so-called screening process. Kos also clearly identified the danger: that nothing (positive) might happen before the general elections in October 2026. Throughout her speech, Kos compared 🇧🇦 to other candidates: companies in 🇦🇱 and 🇲🇪 that will soon be able to send and receive money in the eurozone without additional costs; 🇺🇦 and 🇲🇩, which have already completed their screening process; and the 200 million euros currently going to schools elsewhere in the region. My key takeaway: Kos introduced some new elements in communication. She explained in a more concrete way what is on the table, what 🇧🇦 could lose, and what is needed. She showed what other candidates already have, and pointed out clearly where the blockade comes from—also a warning that she could do the same with others if they dare. The big question: will this produce different and better results? In my opinion this depends on at least three things: 1️⃣ Whether the offer is big enough for (some) 🇧🇦 politicians to change course—or for the public (citizens, business, analysts, media) to demand change, as was the case with visa liberalisation. 2️⃣ Whether the offer and narrative shared by Kos are strengthened and amplified by 🇪🇺 member states, and by those working for and with her in Brussels and Sarajevo. 3️⃣ And whether those currently managing the acute crisis—the implementation of the second-instance ruling against Milorad #Dodik—succeed, and how quickly. This crisis is something with which Kos herself neither seems to want nor has to do with.

Retweet to join us in celebrating our Ally the 🇺🇸 United States on their Independence Day! #4thofJuly #WeAreNATO 🤝 @USNATO

Solemn commemoration of the 30 th anniversary of the Genocide at Srebrenica in Dublin . @SrebrenicaMC @SrebrenicaUK @jackfchambers @SasaMagazinovic @CharlieFlanagan @Vanja_Filip @Donie_dc

My first visit to the Sarajevo #Haggada. This medieval Jewish manuscript, illuminated in 14th-century Spain, came to Sarajevo in the 16th century with Sephardic Jews fleeing the Inquisition. Kept safe during both the Second World War and the 1990s siege, it stands as a symbol of Sarajevo’s resilience and multicultural heritage. 🇧🇦