Principal Deputy High Representative and Brčko District Supervisor Michael Scanlan met yesterday in Brčko with Brčko Assembly Speaker Esed Kadrić, Deputy Speaker Ivo Filipović, and Deputy Brčko Mayor Anto Domić. They discussed progress in the District on achieving fiscal discipline and responsible governance, infrastructure development and private sector growth, all prerequisites for the restoration of prosperity. This includes the adoption of the 2020 budget in March in line with the principles enshrined in the new Law on Budget, the adoption of a new law on associations and foundations in the spring, the commencement of construction works on the modernization of the Brcko Port this summer and the commencement of activities towards restoring the Brčko-Gunja Bridge for heavy traffic.
“These outcomes will allow politicians to run on a platform of tangible results that will have improved the life of the community. Indeed, the elections this fall have to be based on what has been achieved and what more can be done. This is the sole criteria on which people should cast their votes. And votes need to be cast within an electoral process that carries the full confidence of the people,” added the Supervisor.
Supervisor Scanlan met with Head of the Public Records Department Zlatko Jašarević and discussed the importance of updating the voter register. He welcomed the news that the Government has allocated 150,000 BAM in the 2020 budget proposal for this purpose. He also met with Head of the District Election Commission Andrea Štrkalj Mrkonjić and discussed the importance of independent election monitoring at polling stations.
In his meeting with Chief of Brčko Police Goran Pisić, the Supervisor welcomed the June move-in of the Brčko Police to the new Police building. Scanlan and Pisić also discussed strengthening the efforts to prosecute the misuse of public funds in Brcko through effective coordination between the Prosecutor’s Office and the police. He welcomed the news that the Brčko Police and the Prosecutor’s Office will have a follow-up meeting on this matter in Sarajevo with the FBI/US Embassy’s Office of the Legal Attaché and the US Department of Justice Resident Legal Advisor for the US Embassy.
At the Public Utility Company “Komunalno,” the Supervisor commended the management of the company for securing the 2020 electricity supply contract on time. Concerted efforts towards a new legal framework to govern electricity supply, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, as well as rapid progress this year on the UNDP programme of increasing the energy efficiency of public buildings in Brčko, need to supplement the company’s strive for improvements in the energy sector. To that end, the Supervisor welcomed the introduction of smart meters to improve the efficiency and accuracy of recording the use of electricity.
The Supervisor also visited the exhibition about the history and heritage of Brčko’s Jews, on display in the gallery wing of the Brčko City Hall, organised on the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
