Azay Guliyev meeting with the Joint Collegium in BiH, 9 March 2022 (OSCE/Vedran Pribilović)SARAJEVO, 10 March 2022 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on South East Europe, Vice-President Azay Guliyev (Azerbaijan), has been in Bosnia and Herzegovina this week for a series of meetings with parliamentarians, governmental officials and representatives of political parties on domestic and regional developments.

Special Representative Guliyev has met with the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Joint Collegium of the Parliamentary Assembly of the House of Peoples and House of Representatives, representatives of political parties representing the Inter-Agency Working Group on Election Law Reform, the Minister of Human Rights and Refugees, the Office of the High Representative, the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the OSCE PA.

In Sarajevo, the OSCE PA delegation, led by Special Representative Guliyev, was joined by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec.

“I’m pleased to undertake my first official visit to the Western Balkans in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Guliyev said. “The high-level meetings have offered me the opportunity to experience first-hand challenges and prospects for the region, which I will treasure as I prepare my final report this July. I called on all stakeholders and interlocutors to have a meaningful dialogue in order to overcome the challenges in the best interest of the BiH. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly stands ready to facilitate political processes on issues of strategic importance for BiH.”

Azay Guliyev and Šefik Džaferović in Sarajevo, 9 March 2022 (OSCE/Vedran Pribilović)In meetings, Guliyev discussed the latest domestic developments, as well as broader consultations on the Western Balkans. With his interlocutors, Special Representative Guliyev touched upon the importance of resuming full functionality of State Institutions as well as reforming the Law on Elections, particularly in the runup to the October general elections. More specifically on the upcoming elections, Guliyev confirmed that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is prepared to deploy an Election Observation Mission if invited by the authorities.

Other topics of discussion included regional co-operation, reconciliation and rehabilitation as well as the European integration process of the Western Balkans. All interlocutors acknowledged that the European Union integration process remains a main goal of BiH and the most effective incentive to advance the reform process. In underlining the unmatched presence of the OSCE in the region, most notably through its field operations, discussions also highlighted the excellent co-operation the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to enjoy with domestic institutions through the provision of expert advice and assistance.

In Sarajevo, Guliyev’s interlocutors expressed concerns for ongoing developments in Ukraine. They highlighted the importance of a co-operative and forward-looking approach which would strengthen regional co-operation and advance democratic processes.

Guliyev’s visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 8 to 10 March marks his second activity on the ground as Special Representative on South East Europe. Next month, the PA will observe the Serbian general election scheduled on 3 April and, later this year, the Special Representative plans to visit North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania before the PA’s Annual Session in July.

For more on the work of the Special Representative on South East Europe, please click here.