Australia is the home of more than 30.000 people from BiH who came to that country mostly as refugees during the nineties, and precisely that fact contributes to strong relations between the nations, said the Ambassador of Australia for BiH with headquarters in Vienna David Stuart, who is just wrapping up his four-year-long mission.
The Embassy of Australia in Vienna covers six countries – Austria residentially and BiH, Hungary, Kosovo, Slovakia and Slovenia non-residentially.
“When the refugees arrived to Australia, my country also gained something because many smart, capable and educated people came, so that was not a one way street,” Stuart highlighted.
Over the four years of his term, he noticed that BiH is progressing, that there is certain economic growth and development. However, Stuart believes that people in BiH are its biggest resource.
“Those are very smart and educated people and we know that thanks to Bosnians-Herzegovinians who live in Australia and who are successful business people,” said Stuart, adding that people who possess knowledge and skills can strengthen the country and be an important factor in its economic development.
Ambassador Stuart believes that the most important thing the BiH authorities must do is to improve the life standard of the citizens and ensure peace and stability.
“That is important not only for BiH, but for the entire Europe as well, because prosperity and stability in the Balkans is an important factor that will influence the prosperity and stability of the entire Europe in general,” Stuart added.
Ambassador of Australia for BiH also commented on the referendum of RS on the Day of Republika Srpska scheduled for September 25, saying that they strongly support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of biH as one of the members of United Nations and that they do not favor any ethnic group in particular.
However, Stuart thinks that BiH should surpass and move away from the Dayton Peace Agreement, which brought peace and terminated the war, but now causes many factors of dysfunctionality.
Commenting on economic relations between Australia and BIH, Stuart said that trade exchange is humble. BiH mostly exports furniture, textile industry products and footwear to Australia, while BiH imports certain amounts of raw leather from Australia.
Stuart also noticed that tourism in BiH, especially winter tourism, is developing well, but that there is still much unused potential there.
(Source: klix.ba)
