"Today we have a moment to celebrate, because Bosnia-Herzegovina deserves to take this new step," said Olli Rehn, the EU Enlargement Commissioner after he signed the document with Nikola Spiric, the Bosnian prime minister in Sarajevo on Tuesday.

Rehn said the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) was "the gateway to candidate status.

"I encourage Bosnia-Herzegovina's leaders to build on the positive momentum that has now been created and take the next steps to deliver on the EU integration agenda."

Rehn decided to initial the agreement after being convinced by Bosnian leaders that they would merge the country's ethnically divided police service.

Agencies

Güncelleme Tarihi: 05 Aralık 2007, 11:23