Members of delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to PA SEECP participated in Tirana at the 12th plenary session of PA SEECP

Deputy Chairman of the Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PA BiH) to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Cooperation Process in Southeast Europe (PA SEECP) Džemal Smajić and Delegation member Nenad Grković participated in the 12th plenary session of the PA SEECP, which was held in Tirana under the chairmanship of the Republic of Albania.

The PA SEECP plenary session, the topic of which was parliamentary cooperation for strengthening regional connectivity in the Southeast Europe, was opened by the President of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania, Elisa Spiropali, and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, Igli Hasani.

In his address to the participants of the session, the Deputy Chairman of the PA BiH Delegation to the PA SEECP, Džemal Smajić, thanked Tirana for successfully chairing this regional initiative and underlined that the states of the region share common challenges, but also common aspirations and goals. We are facing the same challenges — from socioeconomic reforms, through the modernization of public administration and the fight against corruption, to the complex process of European integration, said Smajić and added that the countries of the region share the same aspirations - peace, stability, development and integration into the European political, legal and economic space.

According to Smajić, the inter-parliamentary cooperation of the countries of the region has a special significance. "It is not only an instrument of foreign policy, but a key mechanism for overcoming divisions, building trust and progressing towards a common future", emphasized Smajić and added that parliamentary cooperation should not be reduced to protocol and symbolism. "Cooperation must become substantive, continuous and strategically oriented. We should develop joint initiatives, exchange legislative practices, harmonize standards and jointly monitor the implementation of regional agreements," said Smajić.

In this regard, Smajić called on the participants of the PSSEECP plenary session to jointly submit an initiative to the institutions of the European Union (EU) to demarcate the status of professional drivers from the status of tourists.

"For professional drivers from third countries, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, who perform work tasks on EU territory based on CEMT permits, bilateral agreements or transit rights, any application of rules such as 90/180 must be proportionate, legally based and non-discriminatory. This legal argumentation can serve as a basis for appeals, bilateral negotiations and initiatives aimed at clearly demarcating the status of professional drivers from the status of tourists," said Smajić.

Emphasizing the importance of SEECP and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Smajić assessed that these are platforms that enable our differences to become advantages, and the experiences of one country a valuable guide for others.

"We in Bosnia and Herzegovina believe that the parliaments of the region must be allies in the stabilization of the Balkans. Without dialogue between our countries, there cannot be a stable region. And without a stable region, there is no stable Europe," said Smajić.

Warning that the political, institutional and security crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina has stopped BiH's European path, Smajić emphasized the need for better regional cooperation and even greater and stronger support that our country expects, above all, from neighbouring EU member states. He expressed his belief that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs the support of all member states of this regional initiative in the process of establishing the full rule of law, equality of all before the law and standards in which the human rights of all citizens will be respected.

Smajić called on the participants of the PSSEECP plenary session in Tirana to work together to strengthen the regional parliamentary network — one that will have the capacity to influence political processes, preserve democracy and articulate common interests.

"Inter-parliamentary cooperation must be a bridge that connects nations, not a platform for reaffirming divisions. We must have the courage to respect the past but build the future. And not just any future — but one in which our countries are no longer peripheral, but full and responsible members of the European family," concluded Smajić.

The participants of the 12th plenary session of PA SEECP also adopted a joint declaration confirming the importance of SEECP as a regional mechanism whose goal is to strengthen good neighbourly relations, encourage dialogue and promote comprehensive cooperation with a common vision for improving the process of European integration of SEECP participants that aspire to EU membership. (end)