"Further reforms, including constitutional ones, remain essential so that Bosnia and Herzegovina and its people can reach their full potential," said Alain Berset, Secretary General of the 46-member Council of Europe, during his official visit to the country on 27-28 April. where he met with members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković, Justice Minister Davor Bunoza, as well as parliamentarians and representatives of civil society.
During his meeting with the members of the Presidency - Denis Bećirović, Željko Komšić and Željka Cvijanović - the Secretary General welcomed progress achieved in areas of interest to the Council of Europe's mandate, as well as the recent signatures of several conventions, including those on artificial intelligence, organ trafficking, and the profession of lawyer. He underlined that further reforms call for independent courts, a non-discriminatory electoral framework and free media as key conditions for strengthening democracy and ensuring the effective functioning of the state.
New action plan launched in Sarajevo
The Secretary General also took part in the launch of the Council of Europe Action plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina (2026-29), aimed at strengthening democratic governance, the rule of law and human rights. The event brought together national authorities and international partners to reaffirm support for the country's reform agenda and European path.
Presenting the priorities of the new action plan, the Secretary General underlined that it supports the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights and judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, and the application of the European Social Charter, while also addressing emerging challenges such as health, environmental protection and artificial intelligence, and supporting reforms linked to the country's European integration. "This plan can deliver, but only if we deliver it together," said the Secretary General.
In his keynote speech on democratic security in the context of the New Democratic Pact for Europe, Secretary General Berset stressed the organisation's long-term engagement: "The action plan we are launching today is another important step in our commitment. It comes exactly 30 years this month after we opened an office here in Sarajevo to help implement the peace framework. It shows how critical the Council of Europe is to peace and stability on our continent, and ready to assume greater responsibility in a more dangerous world."
Secretary General Alain Berset
Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Council of Europe
The impact of the European Convention on Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina
