ANTALYA, Türkiye, April 12. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković emphasized the urgent need to eliminate corruption and political manipulation in the Western Balkans, calling for a shift from historical disputes to forward-looking dialogue and economic integration with the European Union, Trend reports.
“If we can remove corruption, then we can talk about our final goals or priorities,” Konaković said during a panel at the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum. “You have these politicians, who should be removed, using false national narratives… pretending to be protectors of national interests while they are stealing and lying.”
Konaković highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and economic ties, pointing out that 92 percent of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s exports align with the EU market structure - 70 percent going directly to EU member states and 22 percent to the regional market. He named Croatia and Serbia as Bosnia’s top foreign trade partners, despite persistent political tensions.
“We are more focused on our history than on our future,” he noted, criticizing local politicians for daily disputes over historical facts rather than addressing economic or social progress.
The minister also framed EU integration as not only an administrative issue but a security imperative following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “If the EU doesn’t control this part of Europe, someone else will,” he warned.
Drawing parallels with former Eastern Bloc countries, Konaković underlined how nations like Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovenia tripled their GDP after joining the EU. He urged Western Balkan leaders to embrace this opportunity:
“We need brave leaders ready to cooperate, ready for honest dialogue, not the fake one.”
Konaković ended his remarks by highlighting the scale of emigration as a pressing challenge. In 2021 alone, more than 130,000 Bosnians left the country to work in EU nations, with thousands more heading to the U.S. and Australia.
“Around 4 percent of our population left the country in just one year. This shows the urgent need for political stability and economic opportunity.”
With the EU's new Growth Plan on the table and open doors for integration, Konaković concluded with a call for decisive leadership:
“Now we need brave and smart leaders to sit together, to have dialogue, and to do something for the future of our region.”