Her Excellency Helena Lagerlöf, Ambassador of Sweden to Bosnia and Herzegovina, presented the credentials
Her Excellency Helena Lagerlöf, Ambassador of Sweden to Bosnia and Herzegovina, presented her Letters of Credence to His Excellency Željko Komšić, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
24 October 2023 – Ambassador Lagerlöf used the opportunity to underline the strong and excellent bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sweden, which have been ongoing for over three decades.
“Our ties are based on the BiH diaspora of over 100,000 people living in Sweden, our financial support to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU accession process, and increasing trade activities with Swedish companies investing in this country,” Ambassador Lagerlöf stated, saying that the essential part of Sweden’s support is through development cooperation. “I am proud to say that we are one of the major bilateral donors in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest among EU Member States, with a yearly contribution of around 20 million Euros.”
Sweden also welcomed the decision to give Bosnia and Herzegovina EU candidate status, which Ambassador Lagerlöf described as “a tremendous opportunity and a tremendous responsibility”
“Candidate status comes with increased expectations on ensuring the functionality of state institutions, unity on EU foreign policy, and advancing EU reforms. There are no shortcuts. You set the pace and we will stand by you and support you,” she noted, adding that the commitment to shared European values will continue to be an important pillar of bilateral relations between Sweden and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the future as well.