​On 24 and 25 October, members of the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) Working Group on the Western Balkans visited the city of East Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina's Republika Srpska entity.

CoR members and representatives of local authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed the best practices and challenges in the use of IPA 2 pre-accession funds in Bosnia and Herzegovina and especially in cross-border cooperation with neighbouring countries.

The members also had a conversation with the students of the University of East Sarajevo where young people from the region shared their concerns and ideas about Europe, Balkans and the EU. EA group was represented at the meeting by Mr Uno Silberg, Member of Kose Municipality Council (Estonia) who encouraged students to seek opportunities and learn from their peers from other parts of Europe. Talking with student representatives, Mr Silberg also said that young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Balkans have a lot to teach to people in Europe about multiculturalism, tolerance and life with people of different backgrounds.