(MENAFN) Brussels is increasing pressure on Bosnia and Herzegovina to terminate its visa-free arrangement with Russia, according to the Russian Embassy in Sarajevo, as reported by a news agency.

Bosnia, which applied for EU membership in 2016 and was granted candidate status in 2022, has faced slow-moving accession talks, with foreign policy alignment being one of the key obstacles.

Bosnia has maintained its visa-free travel agreement with Russia and has not imposed sanctions on Moscow in relation to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

This position has been largely influenced by Milorad Dodik, the long-serving leader of Republika Srpska and member of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency.

Under a 2013 agreement, Russian citizens can stay in Bosnia without a visa for up to 30 days within a 60-day period.

The Russian Embassy in Sarajevo issued a statement on Saturday, accusing Brussels of exerting "politicized pressure" on Bosnia to abolish the visa-free regime with Russia to meet what it referred to as "so-called European standards."

The embassy emphasized that Bosnia “has the sovereign right to determine its foreign policy priorities” and cautioned that Moscow would respond if Sarajevo made significant changes to its visa policy.

Tomasz Zdechowski, a member of the European Parliament, also confirmed to the outlet that countries seeking EU membership must align their foreign policies with Brussels.

He warned that maintaining visa-free travel with Russia could hinder Bosnia’s chances of joining the EU.

"A candidate country cannot have one foot in Moscow and the other in Brussels," Zdechowski said, adding that EU integration requires a clear and decisive geopolitical choice.

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