Bosnian citizens will suffer the consequences of the lateness in European integration and the missed opportunities to draw closer to other Europeans, Fuele was quoted as saying in Monday's issue of Banja Luka's Nezavisne Novine daily.
He said Brussels still expected Bosnian political leaders to comply with the commitments undertaken, adding that the EU would help them on that front, including through financial assistance.
Fuele confirmed that the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU remained a priority, stressing that the current difficulties in the EU should not discourage anyone on that road because the Union would come out of this crisis stronger than before.
The membership criteria remain the same for everyone, he said, adding that the only change was a new approach to the judiciary and the rule of law, freedom and security.
We introduced that as a result of the lesson learned from previous enlargement rounds. Those areas are special in a way so proof of compliance with commitments is necessary and this is essential for the completion of the accession negotiations, Fuele said, adding that this new approach would first be applied to Montenegro and then to the other membership candidates.
The new approach gives the European Commission the possibility to recommend corrective measures, including a suspension of negotiations in other areas until the judiciary and rule of law benchmarks are met, he said.