Bosnia forms government in hope of EU candidate status

EUObserver reported that Bosnia’s feuding political factions backed a new administration for the ethnically divided state on the 28 December 2011, breaking an impasse that has lasted more than a year.

After hours of talks Bosnia’s Muslim, Serb and Croat leaders agreed to a deal endorsing a budget for 2011 and a financial framework for the next two years.

On the 12 January 2012 lawmakers in Bosnia and Herzegovina voted to name Vjekoslav Bevanda as their new prime minister, ending 15 months of political gridlock that threatened the country's fragile stability.

'Our most important goal is to resume efforts to join the EU'. Bevanda said. 'I hope that we can adopt laws smoothly and that Bosnia can obtain EU candidate status by the end of the year'.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Bosnia: What Does Republika Srpska Want? http://www.europeansources.info/record/bosnia-what-does-republika-srpska-want/

European Commission: DG Enlargement: Potential candidates: Bosnia and Herzegovina http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/potential-candidates/bosnia_and_herzegovina/index_en.htm

ESO: Background information: Bosnia and Herzegovina general election, 2010 http://www.europeansources.info/record/bosnia-and-herzegovina-general-election-2010/

Euronews, 29.12.11: Bosnia breakthrough on central government deal http://www.euronews.net/2011/12/29/bosnia-breakthrough-on-central-government-deal/

Blog: The Economist, 30.12.11: Bosnia's December surprise http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2011/12/new-bosnian-government

Deutsche Welle, 12.1.12; Bosnian parliament votes in new prime minister http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15662235,00.html

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