Bosnia, Serb caponegotiator's hypothesis with EU confirmed

(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, NOV 16 - In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), confirmation appears to have arrived that a representative of the Serbian component will lead the EU accession negotiations, as announced in recent days by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik. According to reports in Sarajevo, an agreement to that effect was reached in recent days at a meeting between political leaders of the Balkan country's three ethnic components: Muslim Bosniacs, Orthodox Serbs, and Catholic Croats. And there would be two favorites for the post of chief negotiator with Brussels: Ana Trisic-Babic and Zeljko Avramovic, both advisers to Dodik, who is president of Republika Srpska (Rs), the Serb-majority entity of BiH. Trisic-Babic was formerly deputy foreign minister for a long time, later landing in Dodik's cabinet as foreign policy adviser. She previously worked as a journalist for Radio Free Europe and at Usaid, a U.S. organization active in projects supporting development and humanitarian assistance.
    Avramovic also worked as a journalist in Serbia, where during the regime of Slobodan Milosevic he was editor of a news and political program for Serbian radio and television. A few years ago Avramovic moved to Bosnia where he was an adviser to several Rs politicians, most recently Milorad Dodik. Last March from the EU came the green light to open accession negotiations with Bosnia, but when the criteria are met. This point refers to delays and difficulties in the reform process-particularly on rule of law and anti-corruption-because of persistent disagreements between representatives of the three ethnic components. (ANSA).