Today in Brussels, Borboly Csaba, Vice-President of Harghita County Council and CoR Member, held a bilateral meeting with Ms Lidija Bradara, President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the margins of the CoR Enlargement Days.
The meeting demonstrated that at the highest level of the Federation there is real political will to advance towards the EU — and that local authorities are seen as key actors in this process, not merely as implementers.
What was discussed:
European funds and local administrative capacity.
One of the central problems identified: Reform Agenda resources are not reaching local authorities sufficiently. Borboly Csaba proposed a concrete mechanism — a pilot capacity-building programme for municipalities in Central Bosnia Canton, based on CoR tools and the experience of EU member states. The Federation expressed openness to this approach.
Rural and mountain regions — a shared argument.
Central Bosnia Canton, like other rural areas of the Federation, has specific needs that are not sufficiently reflected in current programming. Borboly Csaba proposed that BiH and the CoR jointly advocate for a dedicated instrument for mountain and rural regions in the 2028–2034 MFF — not only for member states, but also within the pre-accession and IPA framework.
Travnik — Working Group autumn session.
Borboly Csaba invited Ms Bradara to participate in the Working Group’s autumn session, expected to be held in Travnik at the invitation of Prime Minister Lendo of Central Bosnia Canton. The President’s presence would send a clear political signal: the highest level of the Federation stands behind the EU preparation process of local authorities.
Why this meeting matters:
Direct dialogue between the CoR and the President of the Federation opens a stable political channel. Local authorities in BiH need not only funding — they need top-down political support and peer-to-peer expertise. This is precisely what the CoR can provide.