OHRPR-08032017-04
03/08/2017 OHR

Brcko assessment reflects reality of daily life

The newly appointed Presiding Arbitrator of the Brcko Arbitral Tribunal, Ambassador Clint Williamson, continued his three-day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina today. On Tuesday, Ambassador Williamson met senior officials in Sarajevo, including FBiH Prime Minister Fadil Novalic and Arbitrator Cazim Sadikovic. Today in Brcko he attended the celebrations marking the 17th anniversary of the founding of the District. He met with Brcko Mayor Sinisa Milic and Deputy Mayor Anto Domic, Speaker of the Brcko Assembly Esed Kadric and Deputy Speaker Ivo Filipovic, as well as the Arbitrator appointed by the RS, Sinisa Karan.

During his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Williamson explained that his mandate is the same as that of his predecessor, Roberts B. Owen, who served as the Presiding Arbitrator from the inception of the tribunal until his death in March of last year. He said the visit offered an opportunity “to get a sense of the progress that has been made by the Entities to comply fully with their obligations to facilitate the establishment of Brcko’s institutions and to help ensure that the institutions are functioning effectively.”

Ambassador Williamson said that the creation of permanent and efficient institutions “is a challenge, but what we have seen over the years is that institutions become effective and self-sustaining when they demonstrate their value to the citizens of Brcko. So an assessment is not simply a paper exercise, but something that reflects the reality of daily life in Brcko and the services provided to the citizens.”

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