Bosnia and Herzegovina at the EU Border – International Conference in Orašje
From 19 to 21 June 2026, the international conference “At the Border of the European Union: Integration, Connectivity and the Development Prospects of Bosnia and Herzegovina” was held in Orašje, a town on the border with the Republic of Croatia. More than seventy participants from seven European countries took part in the event.
The conference was organised by the Pan-European Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Human Fraternity Foundation in partnership with the Government of Posavina Canton, the City of Orašje and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. It brought together leading politicians, diplomats, academics and representatives of civil society from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Ukraine and other European countries.
The central event of the conference was the adoption and signing of the Declaration on the European Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, affirming that European and Euro-Atlantic integration constitutes the country's fundamental strategic orientation and provides the essential framework for safeguarding peace, stability and economic development.
The Declaration was signed by the President of the Pan-European Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Academician Monsignor Franjo Topić, the Prime Minister of Posavina Canton, Đuro Topić, and the Mayor of Orašje, Marijan Oršolić.
The Declaration calls upon all political and social stakeholders in Bosnia and Herzegovina to strengthen institutions and social cohesion through dialogue and responsible action, emphasising that the process of European integration must rise above political divisions. It also highlights the importance of transport, energy and digital connectivity, as well as cross-border cooperation, as essential preconditions for the sustainable development of local communities.
“The European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina is not merely a political process but a civilisational commitment. Europe is a community of peace, cooperation and shared values, and Bosnia and Herzegovina naturally belongs to that community,” stated the President of the Pan-European Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Academician Monsignor Franjo Topić.
The Prime Minister of Posavina Canton, Đuro Topić, and the Mayor of Orašje, Marijan Oršolić, underlined the important role of local communities in the European integration process, stressing that Posavina and Orašje seek to serve as examples of European openness and cooperation, creating favourable conditions for young people to remain in the region and for economic development.
The Vice-President of the Pan-European Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Academician Mirko Pejanović, observed that the European perspective constitutes a fundamental prerequisite for long-term stability in a period marked by complex geopolitical challenges.
In his address, the President of the International Pan-European Union, Pavo Barišić, emphasised:
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is not situated on the margins of Europe; it belongs to the very heart of European history, culture and civilisation. It serves as a bridge between Central Europe, the Mediterranean and South-Eastern Europe. For that reason, the European integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina is not merely a question of enlarging the European Union, but of completing the historic process of European unification that was initiated in order to overcome the divisions which marked the previous century.
I am convinced that Bosnia and Herzegovina, through the necessary reforms and with the support of its European partners, will achieve the strategic objective of full membership of the European Union. This will not only benefit Bosnia and Herzegovina itself, but will also make a significant contribution to the stability, security and prosperity of Europe as a whole.
The country's political leadership now faces the task of further strengthening effective institutions, the rule of law and mutual trust so that Bosnia and Herzegovina will be fully prepared to assume the responsibilities arising from membership. Europe today needs Bosnia and Herzegovina, with all the richness of its diversity, just as Bosnia and Herzegovina needs Europe. The time has come for this European belonging to be affirmed not only in terms of values and identity, but also through full participation in Europe's political and institutional community by this ‘land of conciliatory people’, as Franjo Topić has so aptly described it.”
Among those participating in the conference were the Minister of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Davor Bunoza; the representative of the Directorate for European Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Darija Ramljak; the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ivan Sabolić; the President of the Assembly of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Damir Bulčević; the President of the Assembly of Vukovar-Srijem County, Dalibor Šandrk; and the Head of the OSCE Field Office in Brčko, Megan McCullough.
Programme (EN) (PDF)
Declaration (EN) (PDF)