Bosnia initials deal allowing EU border guards to operate in country

Bosnia and Herzegovina initialled an agreement with the European Union's border agency Frontex on Wednesday providing for technical assistance and deployment of EU guards on its borders to control and prevent illegal migration and cross-border crime.

Officials said they expected the final agreement to be signed soon after the central government and parliament have approved the deal. Besides Kosovo, Bosnia is the only Western Balkans country that has not yet signed an arrangement with Frontex.

Thousands of people from the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan and North Africa annually use the so-called Balkan route, which runs via Turkey, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Serbia, to reach wealthy Western countries.

"The agreement with Frontex is a proof that Bosnia and Herzegovina is fully integrated into the European system of collective security," Security Minister Nenad Nesic said.

"When all formalities have been completed and Frontex forces deployed on our borders, our citizens will be able to account on better security," Nesic said, adding that the deal represented part of the overall fight against organised crime.

On the basis of a 2019 EU regulation, Frontex can assist countries it signs agreements with throughout their territories and can exercise powers such as border checks and registration of persons.

Bosnia borders EU member Croatia, as well as Serbia and Montenegro, the countries which along with Albania and Montenegro have signed arrangements with Frontex.