KOVAČEVIĆ: ANA TRIŠIĆ-BABIĆ ONE OF THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR EU CHIEF NEGOTIATOR

SARAJEVO, DECEMBER 17 /SRNA/ – Delegate of the Serb Caucus in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH Radovan Kovačević said today that Ana Trišić-Babić has extensive diplomatic experience and is one of the best candidates for the position of BiH's chief negotiator with the European Union.

"She served as assistant minister of foreign affairs, deputy minister in two terms, adviser to the Serb member of the Presidency and adviser to the President of Republika Srpska for international relations. She worked on numerous key successes that BiH achieved at the international level. She was educated in Banja Luka and London, speaks several foreign languages, and for everyone listening that is more than sufficient," Kovačević told reporters in Sarajevo.

Responding to journalists' questions on whether Trišić-Babić would protect the interests of BiH, Kovačević said that she would act strictly in line with what representatives of the three constituent peoples and the two entities agree upon.

"We repeatedly and consistently point out that the policy of BiH can only be what Republika Srpska, FBiH and representatives of the three constituent peoples agree on. Once we reach such an agreement, we then have a position of BiH; until then, we do not," Kovačević said.

He stressed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Council of Ministers Elmedin Konaković does not protect the interests of BiH, but exclusively those of his political party or, possibly, the interests of one segment of the Bosniak people.

"Since I see that those who enjoy the greatest trust of the Bosniak people criticize him just as fiercely as we do, by those criteria Ana Trišić-Babić would be a far better representative of BiH, because, like all Serb officials and representatives of Republika Srpska, she would act as we agree and decide together," Kovačević emphasized.

Answering a question on whether he is familiar with the Reform Agenda document and its contents, Kovačević said that he is partially familiar with it, as he has communicated with colleagues from the Council of Ministers and the Government of Republika Srpska.

"There are certain elements that are good, as well as those that are not, but the adoption of the Reform Agenda does not mean that the matter is closed or that it represents something final. These are principles we have committed ourselves to, while the implementation of those principles is something we still need to agree on," Kovačević concluded.