Bosnia and Herzegovina sincerely appreciates the help of the European Union and its member states provided at this delicate moment of coronavirus pandemic, Bosnia's Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic wrote in letters to European officials, stressing however that some of the member states were providing that help “selectively” which is opposite to the country's “delicate political and social balance” and its aspirations towards equality.
The letters come days after some countries, including Hungary and Russia, announced help to only one of Bosnia's two semi-autonomous regions, the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska, and after Croatia, also an EU member state, promised to financially help the Croats in Bosnia during the coronavirus pandemic.
In two separate letters, addressed to Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Peter Sijjarto, Hungary's Foreign Minister, Turkovic emphasised that Bosnia is “a multiethnic and multicultural country, with a delicate political and social balance, striving for equality for all its citizens.
“An approach that provided help to some, but not to others, endangers that delicate balance and presents additional, and perhaps unnecessary challenges during these overwhelming times. It is, therefore, that I ask for your assistance in conveying this important message to the EU member states,” Turkovic wrote to the EU's senior official.
In a note to her Hungarian counterpart, Turkovic underlined the same, asking for help in conveying this message to the Government of his country, expressing gratitude for all the help that Hungary provided.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina very much appreciates all aid provided by Hungary in this difficult period, but we feel it is more helpful if that support is offered to all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and not selectively to some,” she stressed.
Expressing the appreciation for the EU's assistance in the letter for Borrell, Turkovic called for the unity and cross-border cooperation.
“Allow me to reiterate the gratefulness of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens to the EU and its member states. We are all aware that needs are great in every country, and it is encouraging and inspirational to see EU member states assisting others in fragile situations. Today, more than ever, we need to act in unison and cooperate across borders in order to beat this pandemic,” said the letter.
