As part of his regular travels throughout BiH, Principal Deputy High Representative and Brcko District Supervisor Michael Scanlan visited Mostar and Trebinje, meeting with local stakeholders to discuss various current issues in both places.
In Mostar, Mr. Scanlan met with the President of the SDA Mostar City Board, Salem Maric and President of Croat Republican Party, Slaven Raguz. In Trebinje, PDHR Scanlan met with Mayor Mirko Curic, Municipal Assembly Speaker Dragoslav Banjak, Director of the Trebinje Chamber of Commerce Veselin Savic and Mufti Sadik Fazlagic.
“Herzegovina is a region of tremendous economic and tourism potential, but also faces the same challenge as many other places I have visited in BiH. In Herzegovina, like in the rest of BiH, these challenges have led to a growing outflow of people, especially the young generation. In particular, the focus on divisive rhetoric by most politicians only serves to undermine the stability and prosperity needed in BiH for the youth of this country to see a future here,” Scalan said.
He added that in his discussions with local stakeholders, he is looking for opportunities to change atmosphere and create incentives for people to remain, whether through growing the private sector to create good-paying jobs; attracting investments, foreign and local; improving the customer focus of public services and most importantly the strengthening of the rule of law.
“If Mostar and Trebinje embrace these principle they will be the driving centres in Herzegovina of economic growth and opportunity, “ Principal Deputy High Representative Scanlan stated.
