Those of you who were in this room Friday saw the impressive proposals of the companies bidding for the opportunity to reconstruct Arizona Market. We will be turning an old problem – the lack of infrastructure – into a real commercial opportunity. Both groups of companies accepted our challenge to make this a new town, with all of the services required for a complete town. It will be the first town in this region to be fully planned, and the first plan to be based on the fact that both customers and employees will all come to the Market in vehicles – cars, buses and trucks. We will have two more public meetings in which residents of Brcko District will have the opportunity to see the two competing plans. (Note: these will be held on November 6 and 7 in Dom Kulture)
Brcko District has yet another proposal for cooperation with private companies. We will soon be issuing a press release on our invitation for proposals for the rehabilitation of the old Austro-Hungarian building, in the center of Brcko town, that now contains the library. Companies who invest in repairing the building would then be able to use if for business purposes for an extended period of time. We hope this will become a prestigious business address in Brcko.
Glas Srpski recently quoted Risto Stjepanovic as saying that my order stopping RS privatization in Brcko District damaged RS citizens who invested their vouchers. I do not know exactly what he said, but I would like to reply to the statement in the article. First, if the RS had cooperated with Brcko, it might not have been necessary to block their privatization. Second, we are not refusing to recognize RS vouchers. The problem is that there is no agreement between the RS and the Federation regarding the use of vouchers and/or certificates in the District. Two draft laws were rejected by the Assembly, largely due to objections by the two Entities. We need to resume talks and find some way that the two Entities can agree with us on a solution that will not harm their citizens and our residents. Third, privatization cannot wait. We cannot be hostages to disagreements between the Entities. Our first six companies have already been offered for tender. As I have stated before, we hope to privatize up to 67 percent of these companies, we will recognize the so-called Markovic shares, and retain a part of the equity for use of vouchers and/or certificates in the expectation that there will be some agreement on using them. I want to emphasize that we do want an agreement. It would be better for privatization in Brcko and in the RS.
I would also like to mention that the Brcko Basic Court will have vacancies for three new judges in Brcko District, and the application period will be from November 5 to 26. There will also be a vacancy announcement for 25 additional positions in the Brcko District Customs. Details will be available shortly.