Speech

Thank you, Professor Turčalo.
It’s great to be back in Sarajevo.
And to see the students from the university, as well as I believe from Mostar and Istocno, Sarajevo. So welcome to you all.

Sarajevo is a beautiful city at the crossroads of cultures.
Where the past and the present come together.

As a student of history myself, I have always been fascinated by this region’s really complex past.
And as a politician and a pragmatist, I am excited about your prospects for a brighter future. 

I visited Bosnia and Herzegovina just over a year ago,
together with my good friends, 
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, 
and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. 

And I was here then in a different capacity, as Dutch Prime Minister. And of course with a different mandate.
To urge your political leaders to press on with the reforms necessary for the EU accession negotiations.

But my message was the same.
This country has an historic opportunity to set aside old differences and seize new possibilities.

New possibilities that will put you firmly on the path of peace and prosperity.
And allow you, the next generation, to flourish here in the heart of Europe.

During my last trip, I visited the memorial centre in Srebrenica.
And I met with the mothers of sons who will never know that promise of a brighter future.

It was a deeply moving experience. 
And a tragedy that forever connects your country and my country.

But while war defined your past, it should not determine your future.

This year we mark 30 years since Srebrenica.
And 30 years since the Dayton Peace Agreement ended a conflict that cost over a hundred thousand lives, across all communities. 

Dayton might not be perfect, but it remains the cornerstone of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 
And it must be respected by all sides.

Through IFOR and SFOR, 
and now supporting the EU’s Operation EUFOR Althea under the Berlin Plus arrangements,
NATO has been with you every step of the way.
We are working together with you to build a stronger defence and security sector. 
And to modernise your armed forces in line with NATO’s high military standards. 
Including through our defence capacity building projects and your participation in NATO exercises.

Because security creates the conditions for your economy to grow.
And for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina to prosper.

Our NATO headquarters in Sarajevo and our newly established, as you said professor, political cell, also support your reform efforts.
NATO and the European Union complement one another. 
Reforms that your country implements through its partnership with NATO can help you on your EU path. 

But unfortunately, we have seen a rise in dangerous rhetoric and political infighting.
Statements alluding to the “end of Bosnia and Herzegovina” are deeply troubling.
Threats of secession and inflammatory actions are eroding the hard-won security of this country and are dangerous.
They risk derailing your progress and taking you back to a divided past.
My message to your political leaders today was that it is time to put that past behind.
It is time to show leadership and have the courage to move forward together for the benefit of all.
NATO is firmly committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 
We will not allow a security vacuum to emerge or the hard-won peace to be jeopardised.

I am sending the same message of responsibility and reconciliation to your neighbours in the region too.

Tomorrow I will be in Pristina, where our KFOR mission helps to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo, under its UN mandate.

I also spoke to President Vucic before coming here. 
Serbia is a long-standing partner of NATO and an important country for regional stability.  

A stable Western Balkans region matters for us all. 
And I want to see everyone in the region working towards this goal. 

You only need to look to your neighbours,
in Croatia, in Montenegro and in North Macedonia,
to see the benefits that Euro-Atlantic integration can bring.

I know that different views persist of course on NATO membership, 
but that is in the end a sovereign decision for your country, and your country alone.
In the meantime, NATO will continue to build on our strong defence and security cooperation.
And support your path to reform and reconciliation.
Because your future is worth striving for.

Dear friends, 
I know that the University of Sarajevo – like NATO – celebrated 75 years since it was created last year.
75 years of bringing new ideas and perspectives for your country, and beyond.

Now the baton passes to you, to the next generation.
To close the door on a troubled past. 
And work together for a strong, stable and successful future.

The history of this city, this country, and this region is deeply enmeshed with Europe’s destiny.
Your future should be too.

So thank you for your attention.
And I really look forward to our, now starting, discussion. Thank you so much.