On August 5, 2019, the heads of the three parties representing ethnic Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks met in Sarajevo and reached an agreement to form a central government in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The signatories include Serb leader Milorad Dodik of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Bosniak leader Bakir Izetbegovic of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), and Croat leader Dragan Covic of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). This agreement could be a step toward resolving an issue that has troubled the country for years, ascension into the NATO alliance.
The SNSD traditionally opposes any moves to join the military alliance while the SDA and HDZ are in favor of the accession. The agreement included a vague commitment to advancing Bosnia's ties with NATO and provides the conditions for the formation of the Council of Ministers. The three leaders said they would "promote relations with NATO without prejudicing a future decision about the membership of Bosnia and Herzegovina." Maja Kocijancic, the European Union spokesperson, welcomed the agreement facilitated by EU Special Representative Ambassador in BiH, Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, as "an important step forward, first and foremost for the country and its citizens."
