At a formal ceremony named “It is time for Europe”, which took place last night in the Cultural Center Banski dvor, Banja Luka was acknowledged as the European-oriented city in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2009, whereas the Mayor of Banja Luka, Mr Dragoljub Davidović, was proclaimed the European-oriented mayor in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Apart from Banja Luka, fourteen other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina were acknowledged as “open European environments” by the European Movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which organized the last night event. These are: Eastern Sarajevo, Srebrenica, Pale, Laktaši, Zvornik, Šekovići, Modriča, Gradiška, Bihać, Goražde, Vitez, Gradačac, Zenica and Gračanica. 

For the first time the acknowledgements were conferred upon state institutions that were taken by the civil society to be its partner on the way to European integrations. Special plaques were conferred upon the Government of the Republic of Srpska, the Presidency of BIH and the Parliamentary Assembly of BIH. 

Secretary General of the European Movement in BIH, Mr Predrag Praštalo, said that European integrations had no alterative and that they were “the only process that promises a brighter future”.  

“Bosnia and Herzegovina is much readier to join Europe than certain results indicate. A way to the EU would be much faster to travel if certain political interests were put aside”, Praštalo stressed out.

The formal ceremony “It is time for Europe” took place under the auspices of the BIH Presidency and Presidency Chairman Nebojša Radmanović.