Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, Mr. Mayor, Councilors, thank you for your invitation. It is a great honor for me to speak at the opening of your 20th Session.
It is an honor for me, because you have done so much over the past year. The sweeping changes in government structure, now being implemented in accordance with your laws, have impressed me greatly in my first week in Brcko.
On Friday I visited the court house and met with the judges, prosecutors and other officials of your newly-reorganized judiciary. The new judicial structure offers Brcko District a completely new level of integrity and efficiency in the administration of justice.
This alone is an historic achievement. You have adopted many other vital laws as well.
Much more must be done. Nothing is more important to the future of this District than the education of your children. A draft law for educational reform is before you. I know that passing and implementing it will be difficult and controversial. But we cannot escape the simple fact that Brcko District is composed of people from different backgrounds. Following the enormous tragedies of the war, this District cannot succeed unless its different communities all work together. If our children are to work together for a brighter future, then they must study together. The children will learn their mother tongue, but they can only benefit by knowing all three languages equally well. Our children must learn, together, to do what you are doing in this Assembly in every session, and what the government and judiciary do every day.
Many more laws must be drafted to give Brcko modern economic legislation. They will be complex, but nothing is more important to economic development than sound laws. My staff and I will continue to seek the best legal advice, throughout the world, in preparing these laws. But to succeed, we also need your ideas and your participation. A draft law on privatization is coming before you now.
You and I have been richly blessed. Together we have the chance, at this brief moment in history, to create a foundation for better lives for the families and communities of Brcko District. That is why I am in Brcko. It will be a great honor to work with you.