EU officials urge Bosnia to press ahead with reform in order to start accession negotiations

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The European Commission chief and the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Croatia have told Bosnia to press on with reforms and seize a chance to begin accession negotiations with the European Union before the 27-nation block holds a parliamentary vote in June. The officials said that while Bosnia has made progress in achieving the criteria to formally start the talks, the troubled Balkan nation must do more in the coming weeks to be able to win a positive recommendation from the European Commission. Bosnia was granted candidate status in 2022 and the commission is expected to report on its progress in March.