The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sefik Dzaferovic, who represented his country at the summit, told local media that he was encouraged by the messages he heard, especially the one that the European Union would not be complete without the Western Balkans.
He said that the solidarity demonstrated in Europe at the time of the coronavirus pandemic clearly showed the need for stronger cooperation.
Dzaferovic said that Bosnia and Herzegovina's biggest problem was the fact that it itself was making the progress towards EU integration difficult because of internal conflicts that were hampering the implementation of necessary reforms.
He expressed hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina would be granted membership candidate status in June.
The Serb member of the Presidency, Milorad Dodik, also described the outcome of the Zagreb summit as positive, stressing that it was important that at the present time of crisis Europe had shown unity.
Although he himself is not a keen advocate of EU integration and close ties with the West, but rather supports stronger ties with Russia, Dodik supported the declaration adopted at the summit, although he was not fully satisfied with its content.
Dodik said that the declaration was important for the unity of the EU, but that he was "moderately disappointed" because it reaffirmed unequivocal support for "the EU perspective of the Western Balkans" rather than the region's "membership prospects". He said that a greater focus should be on the common future, taking into account " the similarities and specificities of the partners."