SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Bosnia's prime minister says his country has fulfilled the preconditions for applying for EU membership and will submit its request to Brussels on Monday.

After years of lingering behind its neighbors on the path to EU membership, Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic said Wednesday his government is now ready to move forward with its aspirations to join the 28-nation bloc.

Zvizdic said he was optimistic the EU would grant Bosnia candidate status in 2017.