The Prime Ministers of Bosnia andHerzegovina, the Federation and Republika Srpska, as well as the District Mayor of Brcko are meeting tomorrow to discuss the PAR strategy at a national conference on Public Administration Reform (PAR).
The joint endorsement of the PAR strategy and its accompanying action plan is an essential step in Bosnia and Herzegovina ’s process of European Integration and will help make the public administration more effective, efficient and accountable. Progress in PAR is also vital for Bosnia and Herzegovina to complete the Stabilisation and Association negotiations and is a clear signal that the authorities of this country are willing to move ahead with reforms that will have a direct and positive impact on the lives of citizens.
This PAR strategy has been developed by the PAR Coordinator’s Office in the course of the last few months with significant input from – and endorsement of – nominated representatives from the State, Entities and Brcko district. The PAR Strategy is largely based on the recommendations deriving from the EC-financed system reviews of the Public Administration carried out in 2004-2005.
Once approved, the International Community is ready to financially support the governments in the implementation of the PAR Strategy. We believe that the PAR strategy should provide the main framework for assistance in this sector. Therefore, the EC and the governments of the Netherlands , Sweden and the United Kingdom have joined forces to develop a PAR Fund which will finance activities deriving from this PAR action plan. In addition to the direct technical assistance to the PAR Coordinator’s Office, the PAR Fund has so far mobilised 4,5 million Euro for this purpose.We encourage all donors active in this sector to ensure that their activities are fully in line with the PAR strategy and are co-ordinated through the PAR Coordinator Office
We congratulate the PAR Coordinator Office for having developed this comprehensive PAR strategy jointly with relevant stakeholders at all government levels. We urge the State, Entity and Brcko authorities to adopt the strategy and begin implementing the action plan as soon as possible.
Michael B. Humphreys, Head of the EC Delegation to BiHMatthew Rycroft, UK Ambassador to BiHLars Erik Wingren, Swedish Ambassador to BiH Karel Vosskuehler , Netherlands Ambassador to BiH Christian Schwarz-Schilling, High Representative
