捷克在欧盟中的定位：理念与成果

China-CEEInstitute

中国—中东欧研究院

ISSN:2939-5933

Vol.66,No.4(SI)

October2023

WeeklyBriefing

Sloveniaexternalrelationsbriefing:

BeforethemembershipintheUNSecurityCouncil-themigration

flow,controlledSchengenborders,andthesupportfortheEU

integrationofBosniaandHerzegovina

GasperPirc

China-CEEInstitute

Kiadó:Kina-KKEIntezetNonproftKft.

Szerkesztesertfelelosszemely:JuWeiwei

Kiadasertfaleal6sszemely.FengZhongping

1052BudapestPetofiSandorutca11.

+3615858690

ofice@china-cee.eu

china-cee.eu

1

BeforethemembershipintheUNSecurityCouncil–themigrationflow,

controlledSchengenborders,andthesupportfortheEUintegrationof

BosniaandHerzegovina

Summary

InJune2023,Sloveniabecameanon-permanentmemberoftheUnitedStatesSecurityCouncilforthesecondtimeinitshistory;inOctober2023,itbecameanobserverwhileatthe

beginningof2024,theactualmembershipwillcommence.

ThemembershipcomesinverychallengingtimesforglobalsecuritywhichisatthesametimeanopportunityforSloveniandiplomacytoshowitsworthtotheinternationalcommunity,

andasignificantsetofchallengesthatSloveniaanditspeerswillneedtoovercome.

ThefollowingarticleanalysestheSlovenianbordersituationinregardtothewaveofmigrationsanditsforeignpolicyfocus(withaspecificorientationontheaidtothedevelopmentofBosniaandHerzegovina)inatimeofincreasedglobaltensionsjustbeforethestartofthe

membershipintheUNSecurityCouncil.

Background:thenon-permanentmembershipUnitedNationsSecurityCounciland

Sloveniandiplomaticstrategyandreputation

InJune2023,SloveniasucceededinanattempttobecomeatemporarymemberoftheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilfortheyears2024-2025;1itwasthesecondtimethatSloveniawaselectedfortherotatingmembershipofthecouncilafterithadalreadyachievedthatstatus

in1998.2

Sinceitsindependence,Sloveniawasgenerallyconsideredareliablepartnerandlater,avaluablememberofWesternalliancessuchastheEuropeanUnionandNATO,bothofwhich

itbecameamemberin2004.3

AfterjoiningtheEuropeanUnion,SlovenialargelyconcentratedonconductingitsgeopoliticalagendafocusingonintegrationofthecountriesoftheWesternBalkans.Therather

successfullong-termprogramgotasignificantboostlastyearwhenBosniainHerzegovina

11See“Sloveniahasbeenelectedanon-permanentmemberoftheUNSecurityCouncil,”PortalGOV.SI,

accessedOctober30,2023,.si/en/news/2023-06-06-slovenia-has-been-elected-a-non-permanent-member-of-the-un-security-council/.

2Consulte.g.“Year1998,”20YearsofIndependenceofRepublicofSlovenia,accessedOctober30,2023,http://www.twenty.si/first-20-years/98/.

33Seee.g.“Slovenia,”EuropeanUnion,accessedOctober30,2023,https://european-

union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/country-profiles/slovenia_en.

2

becameacandidateformembershipintheEuropeanUnionwhichhasbeenagoalofthe

Slovenianexternalpoliticsforquitesometime.4

Thisyear,SlovenianforeignpoliticsanddiplomacyatlargegainedinternationalrecognitionandprestigeassucceededinachievingaplaceforSloveniaintheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilafterashortbutfocusedandeffectivecampaign.5ThesuccessofthecampaignledbytheSlovenianMinistryofForeignandEuropeanAffairswasevenmorerelevantduetothelatestglobalsecurityissuesaswellasdomesticpressuresandnaturaldisastersthathave

takenplaceinrecenttimes.

SloveniagainedarotatingspotintheUNSecurityCouncildefeatingBelarusinthevotinginJune2023.6InOctober2023itbecameanobserverandin2024itwillbecomeatemporary

memberofthecouncil.

ItappearsthatSloveniapreparedwellforitsroleasanon-permanentmemberoftheUNSecurityCouncil;forthatend,theSlovenianMinistryofForeignandEuropeanAffairsdesignatedaspecialmissionfortheUNCouncilwhichisledbySamuelŽbogar,anexperiencedprofessionaldiplomatthatwasaformerSlovenianMinisterofForeignandEuropeanAffairs,statesecretaryattheMinistryofForeignandEuropeanAffairs,SlovenianambassadorinWashington,EUspecialrepresentativeinKosovo,headoftheEUdelegationinNorthMacedoniaandformerdeputypermanentrepresentativetotheUNduringSlovenia'sfirst

membershipintheUnitedNations.7

Asperstandardizedprotocol,SloveniabecametheUNSecurityCouncilobserveronOctober1,2023,andwillbecomeamemberofthecouncilatthestartof2024.Theabove-

mentionedspecialmissionissettoensurethattheperformanceofSloveniandiplomacycanbe

4Consult“SloveniasucceedsinitsinitiativetograntcandidatestatustoBosniaandHerzegovina,”Portal

GOV.SI,accessedOctober30,2023,.si/en/news/2022-12-16-slovenia-succeeds-in-its-initiative-to-grant-candidate-status-to-bosnia-and-herzegovina/.

5Consulte.g.Amongothers,seeBarbaraKramžar,“SlovenijašedrugiččlanicaVarnostnegasvetaOZN,”Delo,June6,2023,https://www.delo.si/novice/slovenija/bo-slovenija-se-drugic-clanica-varnostnega-sveta-ozn/.6RecallBarbaraKramžar,“SlovenijašedrugiččlanicaVarnostnegasvetaOZN,”Delo,June6,2023,

https://www.delo.si/novice/slovenija/bo-slovenija-se-drugic-clanica-varnostnega-sveta-ozn/.

7Consult“VladaimenovalaposebnomisijoRepublikeSlovenijezačlanstvovVarnostnemsvetuOZN,”Portal

GOV.SI,accessedOctober30,2023,.si/novice/2023-07-20-vlada-imenovala-posebno-misijo-republike-slovenije-za-clanstvo-v-varnostnem-svetu-ozn/;andM.R.,“SamuelŽbogarrazrešen,zadržavno

sekretarkoimenovanaSanjaŠtiglic,”N1,September28,2023,https://n1info.si/novice/slovenija/seja-vlade-samuela-zbogarja-naj-bi-nasledila-sanja-stiglic/.

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givenatthehighestrealizablecapacitiesduringthecouncilmembershipinimportantandtrying

times.8

Inthepast,Sloveniaremainedlargelyneutralwheneverpossibleorprudentregardingtheactualgeopoliticalsituation;forexample,in2001,SloveniahostedahistoricmeetingbetweenAmericanPresidentGeorgeW.BushandRussianPresidentVladimirPutin.Atthetime,themeetingwasgloballyrecognizedasimportant,butmostlyinconsequential;9today,wemaylook

uponsuchanoccasionsomewhatdifferently.

SincethestartoftheRussianinvasionofUkraineinFebruary2022,thepreviouslyratherindifferentbutdistrustfulandalreadysomewhatstrainedaftertheRussianannexationofCrimea,officialrelationsbetweenSloveniaandRussiahavebecomehostile;in2022,theRussiangovernmentplacedSloveniaona“listofunfriendlynations”.10Sloveniaalsobacked

allthepackagesofsanctionsthattheEuropeanUnionleveledagainstRussia.11

Despitetheworseningofthediplomaticandpoliticalrelationsbetweenthetwocountries,thesheertradevalue(ifnottradeactivityassuch)betweenRussiaandSloveniaappearstohavesurprisinglyevengrownbytheendof2022andseemstobeonasimilartrajectoryin2023.ItisbelievedthattheincreaseinvalueofthetradebetweenSloveniainRussiadespitethetradelimitationsthatSloveniahasplacedonsuchactivity12canbeattributedtohigherpricesof

importedprocessedpetroleumderivativesandtheimportsofpharmaceuticalproducts.13

Sinceitsindependencein1991,SloveniaremainedconnectedwithandsupportiveofthecountriesoftheWesternBalkansthatbecameindependentafterthe(difficult)breakupofYugoslaviainthe1990sand2000s.Thegeopoliticalorientationontheintegrationofthe

WesternBalkanshasbeenatraditionalfocusofSlovenianexternalpoliticsandhasbeen,among

8See“VladaimenovalaposebnomisijoRepublikeSlovenijezačlanstvovVarnostnemsvetuOZN,”Portal

GOV.SI,accessedOctober30,2023,.si/novice/2023-07-20-vlada-imenovala-posebno-misijo-republike-slovenije-za-clanstvo-v-varnostnem-svetu-ozn/.

9Source:MarkoGregorc,“20letododmevnegasrečanja:BushinPutinnaBrdupriKranju,”24,June16,2021,/novice/slovenija/pred-20-leti-sta-se-v-sloveniji-srecala-bush-mlajsi-in-putin.html.10Sources:MarkLee,“HerearethenationsonRussia’s‘unfriendlycountries’list,”CTVNews.ca,March9,

2022,https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/here-are-the-nations-on-russia-s-unfriendly-countries-list-1.5810483.11Amongothersources,seeSTA,“SlovenijapodpiradodatnesankcijeprotiRusiji,”EuropeanNewsroom,July18,2022,/sl/slovenija-podpira-dodatne-sankcije-proti-rusiji/.

12Consider“UkrepizaomejevanjetrgovinezaradirazmervUkrajini,“PortalGOV.SI,accessedOctober30,2023,.si/teme/ukrepi-za-omejevanje-trgovine-zaradi-razmer-v-ukrajini/.

13SeeMarkoMilenković,“SlovenijalanimočnopovečalaobsegtrgovanjazRusijo,vzrokpredvsemvvečji

vrednostiblaga,”MMCRadiotelevizijeSlovenija,January14,

2023,https://www.rtvslo.si/gospodarstvo/slovenija-lani-mocno-povecala-obseg-trgovanja-z-rusijo-vzrok-predvsem-v-vecji-vrednosti-blaga/654350.

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others,integralforthegrantingofthemembershipoftheEuropeanUniontoCroatiain2013

andthestatusofofficialcandidateforthemembershipin2022.14

DespiteitsperceivedgeneraltendencytowardsneutralityandrestraintininternationalrelationswhichincludesattemptstofostermoreactiveandclearrelationswithChina,15SloveniahasbeenveryclearlyorientedtowardsthepoliticalWest(includingNorthernAmerica,andWesternandNorthernEurope)whichcanbeseenintheprioritizationoftradepartnershipswithWesterncountriesandmaybeseenininclinationtosupportregion-wide

declarationsandlegalactionssuchassanctionstowardsRussia.16

Whiletheabove-mentioneddoesnotcovertheentiretyofSloveniandiplomaticviews,thisisageneralpictureofthestateandagendaofSlovenianforeignpolicybeforethestartofthetermofamembershipoftheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncil;giventhestill-ongoingwarbetweenRussiaandUkraine,theaggravatedconflictbetweenIsraelandPalestine,andseeminglygrowingglobaltensioninrecenttimes,themembershipofthesecuritycouncilinthe

nexttwoyearsmightbeaparticularlydemandingtask.

Themigrationcrisisandthereinstitutionofbordercontrolwiththeneighboring

states

WhilethemembershipintheUNSecurityCouncilsetstopresentSloveniawithparticipationinsolvingnewglobalsecuritychallenges,issuesduetoincreasedmigrationtrafficthathaveariseninthemid-2010sanditsconsequencesforSlovenianandneighboringstates

willremainimportanttopicsofdiscussioninthenearfuture.

SloveniabecameamemberoftheSchengenAreainlate2007whenthelandandsea

borderswereofficiallyabolished.17

Around2015,alargewaveofmigrantsputimmensepressureonthestatesofthe

EuropeanUnion,particularlythetransitionalonesimmediatelyononeofthemainarrivalroutes

14Amongothersources,see“SloveniasucceedsinitsinitiativetograntcandidatestatustoBosniaand

Herzegovina,”PortalGOV.SI,accessedOctober30,2023,.si/en/news/2022-12-16-slovenia-succeeds-in-its-initiative-to-grant-candidate-status-to-bosnia-and-herzegovina/.

15Seee.g.“SecondStrategicCouncilforForeignAffairsdiscussingChina,”PortalGOV.Si,accessedOctober30,2023,.si/en/news/2022-11-16-second-strategic-council-for-foreign-affairs-discussing-china/.16Seeforexamplethecurrenteconomicdataat“Slovenia,“OEC,accessedOctober30,2023,

https://oec.world/en/profile/country/svn.

17Source:“Slovenia,aNewSchengenMember,”Policija.si,accessedOctober30,2023,

https://www.policija.si/eng/areas-of-work/state-border-control/slovenia-a-new-schengen-member.

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(theCentralMediterraneanrouteviaItalyandtheEasternMediterraneanrouteacrossTurkeyandGreece)–oneofwhichhasalsobeenSlovenia.18ThedatafromNovember19,2015,statesthatjustinthesecondwaveofintensemigrationsapproximately240.000migrantsenteredSlovenia;19suchstatisticscarriedimportantweightindecisionsfromstricterbordercontrolandadditionallimitationsformigrantsthatfollowedthewaveofmigrantsandrefugeesenteringthe

statesofEuropeanUnion.

Partlyindeferencetotheopinionofthepartofpotentialvotingbaseandinternationalprecedents,andpartlyduetothedifficultiesinprovidingproperassistanceandcontrolthecentristgovernmentledbyMiroCerarannouncedthebuildingofawirefenceacrosstheSlovenia-Croatiaborder.20ThefencewasimmediatelycontroversialandbothpartoftheactiveSlovenianpopulationandtheCroatiangovernmentcalledfortheremovalfromthestart.Despiteprotests,thefenceslowlycontinuedtobroadenundertheright-wing14thSlovenian

governmentfrom2020to2022.21

Soonafterthe(Center-)leftthe15thSloveniangovernmentwasinauguratedinJune2022,andtheprocessofremovalofthewiredfenceontheborderfinallystartedwhichhasbeenone

ofthepre-electiongoalsofthecoalition.22

Inlate2021,atragicoccurrenceshockedtheSlovenianpublicwhena10-year-oldTurkishgirlwhowasapartofthemigrationentouragewasfounddeadintheDragonjariverontheSlovenia-Croatiaborder.23Thetragicdeathofachildledtosomereflectiononthemigrationpoliciesandtheneedforatighter,morecoherent,andfairermigrationcontrolprogrambutapartfromsomenon-obligatoryresolutionsbetweenvariousstateofficials,

nothinglastinghasbeenconcludedregardingtheissue.

AftertheglobalCOVID-19crisisrecededin2022,theissueofillegalmigrationsanda

largenumberofmigrantsandrefugeesconcentratedonthebordersoftheEuropeanUnionagain

18Consult“IrregularMigrant,RefugeeArrivalsinEuropeTopOneMillionin2015:IOM,”International

OrganizationforMigration,accessedOctober30,2023,/news/irregular-migrant-refugee-arrivals-europe-top-one-million-2015-iom.

19Source:STA,“VSlovenijodoslejvstopiloskoraj240.000beguncevinmigrantov,”24,November19,2015,/novice/slovenija/v-dobovi-nekaj-vec-kot-1000-beguncev-in-migrantov.html.

20SeeŠ.P.,S.P,Pi.K.,Delo.si,STA,“Vživo:Žičnataograjabodolga80kilometrov,”Delo,November11,2015,https://old.delo.si/novice/slovenija/v-zivo-bodeca-zica-na-slovensko-hrvaski-meji.html.

21Seee.g.ZeljkoTrkanjec,“50morekilometresofrazorwireontheCroatianborder,”Euractiv,March4,2021,

/section/politics/short_news/50-more-kilometres-of-razor-wire-on-the-croatian-border/.

22ConsultLovroKastelic,“Padlisoprvimetrirezilnežice,”Delo,July15,2022,

https://www.delo.si/novice/slovenija/padli-so-prvi-metri-rezilne-zice/.

23Seee.g.STA,“MissingTurkishGirlFoundDeadinDragonjaRiver,”TotalSloveniaNews,December11,2021,

/news/9332-missing-turkish-girl-found-dead-in-dragonja-river?utm_content=cmp-true.

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becameawidelydiscussedtopic.Inparticular,aslightdiplomaticcontentionbetweenSloveniaandneighboringAustriastartedtodevelopafterAustriakeptdisregardingSchengen'sopenbordersandreinstatedbordercontrol.Thelatterisactivesince2015,andithasbeenprolongedeachtimeforaperiodofsixmonthssincethen.DespiterepeatedprotestsanddemandsforthecancellationofbordercontrolfromkeySlovenianpoliticians,theAustriangovernmenthasso

farbeenadamantinitsdefenseofitsneedforinternalsafetyreasons.24

InOctober2023,theSlovenianwesternneighborItaly,whichisitselfriddledwithmigrationpressure,suddenlyreinstitutedbordercontrolontheItalian-Slovenianborder.25In

response,SloveniarestartedcontrollingborderswithCroatiaandHungary.26

WhilethenewlyreinstatedbordercontrolandtheseemingtemporaryendoftheSchengenopenbordersregimecanbeseenasnewandexcessivemeasures,theyarejustoneelementinthealltooindividualandasynchronousattemptstocontrolthemigrantflow.Sinceatleast2015,theEuropeanUnionanditsmemberstatestrieddifferentmeanswithvarioussuccessestomitigatethemigrationissue.However,thereisstillnouniformplantodealwiththeissuewhichremainspertinentandchallengingandmayevenintensifyinthenearfutureasaresult

ofthecurrentIsrael-Palestineconflict.

Regardlessoftheoutcomeoftheparticularmigrationwaves,thelatterneedstobeseenasacriticalhumanitarian,social,andsecurityissuethatwillneedtobesuccessfullydealtwithassoonaspossible–especiallygiventhecurrentlevelofglobaltensions;andsimplyclosingcontrollingorevenclosingtheborderscannotbe(fullanswers)tothequestionthatthemigrationproblematicposestothestatesoftheEuropeanUnion.IntheSlovenianmandateof

membershipintheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncil,thisissuemightgetquitesomeattention.

24SeeSTA,“AvstrijaznovapodaljšalanadzornamejisSlovenijo,”Dnevnik,October16,2023,

https://www.dnevnik.si/1043034622;andT.K.B.,La.Da.,“GolobnaDunaju:Podaljševanjenadzoranamejijeneupravičenoinneučinkovito,”MMCRadiotelevizijeSlovenija,June13,2023,

https://www.rtvslo.si/slovenija/golob-na-dunaju-podaljsevanje-nadzora-na-meji-je-neupraviceno-in-

neucinkovito/671602.Inprevious,AustriahasalsohadsimilarlystricterbordercrossingrulesonaborderwithHungary;nowadays,itreinstitutedbordercontrolonallstateborders.

25Referto“ItalyreinstatesbordercontrolswithSlovenia,citesattackrisk,”Euractiv,accessedOctober30,

2023,/section/migration/news/italy-reinstates-border-controls-with-slovenia-cites-attack-risk/.

26G.V.,“ItalijabonadzornamejisSlovenijopodaljšalavleto2024,”MMCRadiotelevizijeSlovenija,October

24,2023,https://www.rtvslo.si/svet/evropa/italija-bo-nadzor-na-meji-s-slovenijo-podaljsala-v-leto-2024/686000.

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TheSlovenianforeignstrategyandtherelationshipandsupportforthe

developmentofBosniaandHerzegovina

Sinceitsindependencein1991,SloveniancontinuednurturingrelationswithotherstatesoftheformerYugoslaviaandprovidingnecessarysupportframeworkandconcretesolutionstothewar-torncountriesthatcamefromtheashesofdevastatingdissolutionwars,particularly

BosniaandHerzegovina.

EversincejoiningtheEuropeanUnionin2004,oneofthemainstrategicagendasofSlovenianforeignpoliticshasbeenthesupportfortherecoveryandEuropeanintegrationofthecountriesoftheWesternBalkans,includingBosniaandHerzegovina.Inthelastfewyears,SloveniahasbeenoneofthemainsupportersoftheBosnianattempttogainthestatusofofficial

candidateformembershipintheEuropeanUnion;aninitiativethatsucceededin2022.27

OfalltheformerYugoslavianfederalsocialistrepublics,BosniaandHerzegovinasufferedthemostdamageduringthebreakupwarsandwasasceneofoneofthelastrecognizedgenocidesinthe20thcenturyandthelasttohappeninEurope.28Duringthewars,whichlargelytooktheformofacivilwarbetweenRepublikaSrpskawiththesupportoftheFederalRepublicofYugoslavia(futureSerbia)ononesideandthefuturefederalBosniaandHerzegovinaandHerzeg-BosniawiththesupportofCroatia(thoughtherewassomeinfightingbetweenthose

tooaswell).29

Sloveniawhosuccessfullyconcludeditsindependencebidafewyearslater,alwaysstoodbythesideofthefederalBosniaandHerzegovinaandwas,afterCroatia,oneofthecountrieswiththelargestamountacceptedasylumseekersfromBosniaandHerzegovina.Accordingto

officialdata,Sloveniahosted31,118Bosnianswithtemporaryrefugeestatus,includingaround

27Amongothers,see“OdnosiSlovenija-BosnainHercegovina,”PortalGOV.SI,accessedOctober30,2023,

.si/drzave/bosna-in-hercegovina/odnosi-slovenija-bosna-in-hercegovina/;and“Slovenia

succeedsinitsinitiativetograntcandidatestatustoBosniaandHerzegovina,”PortalGOV.SI,accessedMay3,

2023,.si/en/news/2022-12-16-slovenia-succeeds-in-its-initiative-to-grant-candidate-status-to-bosnia-and-herzegovina/.

28In1995,amassacrethatwouldlaterbeknownastheSrebrenicagenocidetookplaceinSrebrenicaineasternBosniawheremembersofRepublikaSrpskaarmykilledaround8000BosnianMuslims.Whilesomepro-Serbianauthorstriedtochallengeitsgenocidestatus,theperpetratorsoftheactweredulypunished,anditremains

thesinglelargestmassmurderonEuropeangroundssinceWW2.See“Srebrenica,”HolocaustMemorialDay

Trust,accessedOctober30,2023,.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-

genocides/bosnia/srebrenica/.

29See“Listingofcasesincluded,”,accessedOctober30,2023,

/reports/2004/ij/icty/2.htm,

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5,459school-agedchildren;30duetothesheeramountandimmediateaccumulationofrefugees,theinfluxprofoundlychangedtheSloveniandemographicstructure,withmanyBosniansbeing

soonintegratedintoSlovenesocietyandaddingtoitsrichness.

GiventhehistoricalconnectionsbetweenSloveniaandBosniaandHerzegovina,itisnowonderthatSloveniacontinuedtosupporttheprocessesofrecoveryanddevelopmentofBosniaandHerzegovinaafterthedevastatingwar.ItappearsthatdespitetheSlovenianforeignagendabeingconcernedwiththedevelopmentandintegrationentiretyofWesternBalkans,thesupportwiththereconstructionandpoliticalintegrationintoglobalorganizationsofBosniaand

HerzegovinahasbeenaparticularfocusofSlovenianstrategyofconductingforeignpolicy.

AccordingtotheofficialpositionoftheSlovenianMinistryofForeignandEuropeanAffairs,Slovenian-Bosnianrelationsarecontinuallyfriendlyandwithoutopenquestionswhereascooperationconsistsinnearlyallapplicableareasduetogeographicalproximity,relatednessoflanguage,historicalconnection,andstrongmigrationsbetweenSlovenianandBosniaandHerzegovina.SloveniahasbeenandcontinuestobeconsideredasoneofthemostactivesupportersofBosniaandHerzegovina'sprogressinEuro-AtlanticintegrationwhileitsupportsandactivelyadvocatesitsfullmembershipintheEUandNATO.31ThesupportwasformalizedwiththeMemorandumonCooperationoftheMinistriesofForeignAffairsinthe

fieldofEuro-Atlanticintegration.32

ThecontinuousSloveniansupportforBosniaandHerzegovinawaspartlyvindicatedonDecember15,2022,whentheEuropeanCouncilgrantedBosniaandHerzegovinathestatusoftheofficialEUcandidate.33However,recentnewsregardingtheBosnianprocessofEUintegrationwaslessencouragingastheEuropeanCommissiononlyrecommendsthestartofaccessionnegotiationswhenthecountrycomesclosertomeetingtheconditionsfor

membership.TheCommissionPresidentUrsulavonderLeyensaidthatBosniaand

30Source:“OtrociizBosneinHercegovinevbegunskihšolahvRepublikiSloveniji,”ZgodovinaSlovenije,

accessedOctober30,2023,https://www.sistory.si/11686/9511.

31Forexample,Slovenianpoliticalleadershiprecentlyofficiallystatedthatitconsidersitselfapotentially

»largestsupporterofBosnianintegrationintotheEuropeanUnion,”whiletheSloveniangovernmentreservedEUR1millioninthebudgetfortechnicalassistancetoBosniaandHerzegovinaduringitsintegrationin

Europeancircles.SeeSTA,U.B.,K.K.,“Golob:SlovenijazavstopBiHvEUrezerviraladodatenmilijonevrov,”

24,March13,2023,/novice/slovenija/golob-na-prvem-uradnem-dvostranskem-obisku-v-tujini.html.

32Source:“OdnosiSlovenija-BosnainHercegovina,”PortalGOV.SI,accessedOctober30,2023,

.si/drzave/bosna-in-hercegovina/odnosi-slovenija-bosna-in-hercegovina/.

33Source“SloveniasucceedsinitsinitiativetograntcandidatestatustoBosniaandHerzegovina,”Portal

GOV.SI,accessedOctober30,2023,.si/en/news/2022-12-16-slovenia-succeeds-in-its-initiative-to-grant-candidate-status-to-bosnia-and-herzegovina/.

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Herzegovinahasrecentlytaken"manypositiveandlegislative