Brussels: Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday signed an agreement with the European Union (EU) whereby the country will receive technical assistance on border management and see the deployment of EU guards on its borders in order to control and prevent illegal migration and cross-border crime.
According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement following the signing of the agreement in Brussels in the attendance of EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Kristo said that this agreement is a key step on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s path towards joining the EU, as this agreement strengthens the country’s role as a credible partner in protecting the EU’s external borders and regional security.
For its part, the EU said that close cooperation with its Western Balkan partners on border management has shown positive results and led to a significant decrease in irregular border crossings, with this downward trend expected to continue throughout this year.
Before this agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina was the only Western Balkan state that had not signed such an agreement with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).