BERLIN, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Deniz Zvizdic, Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), on Monday described the goal to join the European Union (EU) as its "most important foreign policy priority" following a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"With regards to European integration, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains on a European path and this is its most important foreign policy priority," Zvizdic said during a joint press conference with Merkel in Berlin.
The two leaders drew attention to significant improvements in international cooperation between the Western Balkans and the EU which had been during the recent decades.
Brussels has offered all regional states the theoretical option to become members of the continental bloc, subject to institutional reforms ensuring compliance with judicial and constitutional principles enshrined in the so-called "acquis" of existing EU law.
"I think that, as a whole, cooperation has improved a lot in the Western Balkans in spite of remaining issues," Merkel told the press conference.
However, the German leader also pointed a lasting need to overhaul the BiH legal code to limit corruption, combat organized crime and offer foreign firms more security when operating in the country.
Merkel argued that, in turn, Germany could assist BiH's economic development with direct investments, as well as vocational training programs to create a more skilled labor force.
"The most important thing is that the youth (in Bosnia and Herzegovina) gains a promising perspective on the future -- economic development is of great importance in this context," she said.
Additionally, Merkel proposed setting up a scientific foundation to promote more academic cooperation and noted that BiH also had the chance to form closer military ties with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by activating its so-called Membership Action Plan to apply for entry into the defense alliance.
