The public in BiH is not so informed about the functioning of the diplomatic-consular network of BiH. In addition to ambassadors, it includes a team of people working in diplomatic-consular offices (DKP). Those are secretaries, advisors, consuls, vice-consuls and attaches, and BiH has 170 of them throughout the world.
The term “associate” is not used for employees in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH nor in DKPs of BiH. Thus, people hired in DKPs are in the capacity of minister-advisor, advisor, first secretary, second secretary, third secretary, consul, vice-consul and higher.
“The DKPs of BiH currently hire 87 civil servants in the capacity of minister-advisor, advisor and consul, 46 civil servants in other diplomatic capacities (first, second and third secretary, vice-consul and attaché) and 37 consular workers who are not civil servants, but employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH,” stated the Ministry.
During 2015, a total of 9.400.000 BAM was spent in 56 DKPs of BiH in the world for the wages of diplomats and the wages of other employees (consular workers, drivers, janitors and administrative staff).
“Conditions for employment as civil servant in all diplomatic capacities are defined in the regulations of BiH and the servants are hired through a contest which is published and implemented by the Agency for Civil Service of BiH,” the Ministry added.
The Agency for Civil Service in BiH stated that ten contests were published for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH since 2009 until today.
Many politicians in BiH openly criticize the work of DKPs of BiH. Member of the BiH Presidency Dragan Čović assessed that the DKP network of BiH is catastrophic.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only country in the world that does not have the law on foreign affairs or the strategy of foreign affairs action. Foreign policy of BiH is grounded on the improvisation of a three-page document adopted by the Presidency of BiH in 2003.
The public in BiH remained surprised after finding out that it is not known who and in which way evaluates the work of ambassadors and consuls of BiH. Namely, the appointment of ambassadors and consuls of BiH works on the following principle: each of the three members of the Presidency of BIH suggests a diplomat from the nation they represent, and the internal agreement requires that the other two members of the Presidency do not make problems and that the proposal is unanimously adopted.
Considering these facts, it remains unclear whether the appointed ambassadors and consuls correspond only to the member of the Presidency of BiH that represents their nation or to the entire convocation of the Presidency.
(Source: klix.ba)
