05/07/2023
JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE
We, the Paneuropean Youth from Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia gathered at Banja Luka and Sarajevo on 8 June 2023, declare:
1. We call for a smoother continuation of the European Union enlargement process in this part of Europe, having in mind that Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia should become full members of the European Union and we call on bodies and institutions of the EU to encourage and help them in fulfilling the necessary criteria. These countries must be given the option to join the EU as soon as they meet all the membership conditions.
2. These countries have tremendous resources, especially in economy and culture, which can be integrated into the European Union to the mutual benefit of all Europeans. Their most valuable resource are the people who share a common European culture and history and have particular experience in multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious co-existence and dialogue, which is needed now in the European Union more than ever.
3. In this regard, we welcome the European Council decision of December 15, 2022, to give the candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the negotiations being conducted as swiftly as possible, hopeful that the EU accession process will gain now a new momentum. The large majority of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina continuously express a clear desire for their country to be a fully integrated EU Member State and we call on political representatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina to fully respect the will of the citizens. We urge Bosnia and Herzegovina political representatives to refrain from rhetoric invoking any kind of secessionism, ethnic division or domination and condemn any celebration or denial of war crimes, especially the genocide in Srebrenica.
4. We encourage EU representatives and decision-makers to take into account the specific political and legal situation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the negotiations process. We believe that the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the cultural and economic benefit of all its citizens can only be achieved inside the EU and by respecting the democratic processes and carefully built constitutional institutions, the equality of the three peoples and the protection of human rights of all citizens.
5. We welcome very strongly the 2022 decisions of the European Council to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, as well as to give candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova.
6. We encourage the move in the normalization and conciliation process in Kosovo and condemn all organized provocations and acts of violence.
7. We have experienced personally how beneficial it was for Croatia to join the Eurozone and Schengen area and seeing that they fulfilled all required criteria call for the immediate accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen, as well as accession to the Eurozone as soon as they meet the conditions.
8. We support the institutions of the European Union, as well as all member states and those on the road to membership in all processes of strengthening the EU as a subject of international politics that can equally defend the interests of Europeans in relations with the other global powers, as well as lead a policy of peacemaking, in line with the objectives and principles that led to the creation of the EU. We believe that the ideal of a peaceful and democratic Europe implies being prepared to defend ourselfs. That was also shown in the joint resistance of all Ukrainian citizens against the Russian aggression. We fully support the EU, EU member states and other European countries’ solidarity with Ukraine, which includes providing the needed economic and military aid and we call for Europe to continue this solidarity until the aggressor is defeated.
9. Our vision of Europe is one of solidarity, with the family as the cell of society, economic cooperation, the well-being of every citizen, respect for cultural diversity, and scientific and educational excellence. Such a vision calls for a strong European Union with a unified foreign and security policy, ready to protect the interests of all European citizens, and to which the nations of South-East Europe naturally belong. The final goal is to ensure lasting peace in Europe.
10. The Heritage of Mariastern Abbey in Banja Luka, preserved and continued by the work of Bishop Dr. Franjo Komairca and the European Centre for Peace and Cooperation, represents for us young Paneuropeans important European values such as the ideas of Christianity, the multi-cultural and multi-national cooperation and the development of the society.
Mladež Hrvatske paneuropske unije
Paneuropska unija Bosne i Hercegovine
Paneuropa-Jugend Deutschland e.V.