(BRUSSELS) - Bosnian leaders said Thursday they hoped their country can become an official EU candidate nation next year, promising to swiftly carry out the required police reforms as soon as possible.

"We believe that we will fulfill the last requirement in the next couple of days" in the Bosnian parliament, said Nebojsa Radmanovic, Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency.

"I am sure that both chambers of parliament will adopt the declaration of Mostar at the first reading," added Bosnian Prime Minister Nikola Spiric, referring to the agreement reached by Bosnian leaders last year to reform the police force.

The EU has made police reforms a key condition for Bosnia to seal a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), essentially a trade and aid pact which is the first step towards joining the rich European club.

EU and Bosnian officials initialled the SAA last December, but the EU has refused to formally sign it until the police reforms are undertaken.

The leaders of Bosnia's Serb community insist on retaining control of police in their Republika Srpska entity, which along with the Muslim-Croat Federation makes up post-war Bosnia.

But Croat and Muslim leaders want the forces to be unified and put under the authority of the state.

"I would expect that with a normal level of political will, which exists, the law on police reform should be adopted by the parliament shortly, thus enabling the EU to sign the SAA in April," said Rehn.

After that there still would be several steps before Bosnia can receive official EU candidate status, the final step before adhesion talks can begin.

"The most optimistic say it could be done in a year," said Spiric.

"We will be doing our best in Bosnia-Herzegovnia... so that in the less than a year we can prove our candidacy," added Haris Silajdzic, leader of the Bosnian Muslims within the tripartite presidency.

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