​Although more than a year and three months have passed since BiH received the green light to open negotiations with the European Union, they have not started, and there is no indication of anything concrete happening in that area. The real work for the authorities begins the moment the country is notified of the date for the start of negotiations, said Minister of European Integration and International Cooperation Zlatan Klokić in an interview with Glas Srpske, commenting also on how long the membership talks with European officials could take.

- From the start of negotiations, it takes eight to 12 years for a country to become an EU member - said Klokić, who discussed, in addition to European integration, also the work and expansion of the network of representative offices of the Republic of Srpska abroad, as well as his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He announced an autumn visit by companies from Dubai, which will be an opportunity for domestic companies to establish cooperation with them, and, according to him, the sheikh might also visit the Republic of Srpska.

GLAS: The European Council gave BiH the green light to open negotiations with the EU back in March 2024. Where do we stand now and what have we achieved since that decision?

KLOKIĆ: Since then, institutions at the BiH level have made some progress. The laws on preventing money laundering and financing of terrorist organizations and preventing conflicts of interest have been adopted, and an agreement with Frontex has been signed. This is not enough, as can be seen from the reports of the European Commission, which highlight some progress, but also point to open issues that prevail in BiH. In the past year and three months, we have witnessed certain topics prevailing in BiH. I am referring to the political processes against representatives of the institutions of the Republic of Srpska, and that is something that has largely slowed down this process.

GLAS: At what pace are the domestic authorities advancing towards fulfilling the conditions on the road to the EU? We have received praise, and now condemnation from European officials on the issue of fulfilling the conditions. Who is placing the largest obstacle on that path?

KLOKIĆ: That pace often depends on the political situation in BiH. The Republic of Srpska consistently participates in the processes and prepares the institutions in accordance with the obligations arising from the European path. It would not be fair to say that only the authorities in BiH are to blame, because we often hear from individuals that there is talk about whether Montenegro or Albania would be the first to join the EU. So, certain countries are being favored, while others are being neglected, but they are also the usual suspects. The EU and the European Commission do not take a uniform approach regarding the European integration process. Here I mean all countries aspiring to become members, including the countries of the Western Balkans, but also other countries such as Moldova and Ukraine.

GLAS: The question of who should be the chief negotiator with the EU is almost no longer discussed in public. Is anything being done to resolve this and other issues?

KLOKIĆ: After receiving candidate status, all countries need to appoint a chief negotiator. However, this means nothing without the appointment of the overall negotiating structure and establishment of a negotiating framework. One single appointment does not lead to any progress for BiH. We currently have working groups that are bodies in the coordination system of the European integration process, which will take the role of negotiating groups in the future, after certain modifications. The position of the Republic has been and remains that the chief negotiator should come from the Republic of Srpska.

GLAS: In your opinion, will BiH join the EU and when?

KLOKIĆ: The EU has been facing serious challenges for 15 years or longer, since the economic crisis, which was later followed by the current migrant crisis. Many countries are reconsidering the decision on the Schengen zone, that is, their closing due to the indications of an even greater influx of migrants. All the principles on which the EU was based have been seriously shaken. If the EU wants to maintain its idea, it must also take a more serious approach to the countries of the Western Balkans, that is, to have them become EU members. Whether a country will become an EU member is more of a matter of political decision, as confirmed by the examples of Bulgaria and Romania.

GLAS: The sector you are heading also covers representative offices of the Republic of Srpska abroad. Are you satisfied with their work and are there any plans to expand that network?

KLOKIĆ: Some of the offices are doing an excellent job, while with others there is room for improvement. Concerning network expansion, we have started the process of registering a representative office in France, so that it could start operating at the end of the year or possibly the beginning of next year. The procedure for establishing a representative office in China has also begun, that is, an authorization has been granted for carrying out all the preparations and registering the representative office. That work is not yet complete.

GLAS: You recently visited the UAE. What was agreed there?

KLOKIĆ: I attended an international forum organized in Dubai by the company Al Matiya, with which the Government has signed a memorandum of cooperation. It has been agreed for a business delegation to visit Srpska in late October or early November. We will organize a forum with the participation of our companies, which might cooperate with companies from Dubai. This is also an opportunity to present certain projects of the Republic to investors from the Emirates, who are interested in investing in the domestic market. They are particularly interested in the fields of agriculture, food industry, and energy. I had the opportunity to talk to a sheikh who is a member of the family ruling Dubai as an Emirate, who might also visit the Republic of Srpska.

GLAS: What was discussed at the Vidovdan gathering of diaspora Serbs on Zlatibor that you attended?

KLOKIĆ: The Ministry without portfolio in the Government of Serbia, which is in charge of the diaspora, organized the traditional Vidovdan gathering. The greatest emphasis on that occasion was placed on the international event Expo 2027. The Republic of Srpska's representative offices in Germany and Austria were present, as were our cultural and artistic societies. We also discussed the importance of preserving national identity, language, script, tradition and culture, as well as cooperation improvement between representatives in the diaspora and our institutions. Srpska is also in the process of drafting a new strategic document for cooperation with the diaspora, given that the current document expires this year.