EU Ambassador and Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Luigi Soreca warned that the country is falling behind on its EU accession path due to weaknesses in the rule of law, and called on political leaders to adopt two key judiciary laws — the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) and the Law on Courts — expected to be scheduled in the next session of the House of People. Speaking at the final conference of the EU4Justice project on 15 June 2026 in Sarajevo, Soreca stressed that without a proper rule of law, Bosnia and Herzegovina will not progress toward EU membership.
Soreca noted that the European Union is preparing to enlarge for the first time since 2013, with Montenegro's Accession Treaty being prepared and other candidate countries making impressive progress, while Bosnia and Herzegovina lags behind. The EU4Justice project, a Team Europe effort involving Spain, France, and Germany, has supported the country's judiciary, including enabling courts to issue digital certificates proving no criminal proceedings against citizens — a step toward modernization and transparency.
Soreca highlighted integrity amendments to the Law on HJPC adopted in September 2023 and January 2024 as milestones that helped open EU accession negotiations in 2024. He stressed that the asset verification system for judicial office holders must become fully operational as an anti-corruption and integrity tool. He also acknowledged ongoing divergences with the Council of Europe on judicial monitoring, insisting that monitoring should be conducted by an external system separate from supervision.
The EU envoy reiterated that continued EU support is conditional on Bosnia and Herzegovina aligning its legislation and practices with European standards. He concluded that the EU's sole interest is protecting the rights of Bosnian citizens through a transparent and effective judicial system.
Stakeholder impact: The call for adoption of the two laws puts pressure on Bosnia and Herzegovina's political leaders, who face a choice between advancing EU integration and maintaining the status quo. The judiciary stands to gain clearer legal frameworks and integrity mechanisms, but may face increased external monitoring. Citizens could benefit from more transparent and efficient courts, while the EU reinforces its conditionality approach, linking financial and political support to concrete reforms. Business and investment climate could improve if rule-of-law weaknesses are addressed, attracting foreign investors.
Expected follow-up: The House of People is expected to schedule the two laws for debate in the coming days. The EU will continue to monitor progress and may adjust support based on legislative outcomes.