The Principal Deputy High Representative and Brčko District Supervisor, Michael Scanlan, attended the 23 December inaugural session of the Brčko District Assembly. He commended Brčko’s political representatives for delivering on their commitment to complete government formation before the end of the year. He congratulated the newly elected leadership of the District Government and the Assembly.
“Now it is time to accelerate progress on good governance reforms, infrastructure development, and private sector growth. The District’s robust budget, strategic economic location, and independence to make decisions means Brčko should have the best healthcare and education systems, infrastructure and business environment in BiH. We heard today that these are the objectives of the newly elected authorities, and it will be clear by their actions in the next three months if this is indeed the case,” the Supervisor said.
The day before, Scanlan had a series of meetings focused on the positive reforms that are in train in the District. With Acting Mayor Anto Domić, he discussed the status of the draft Law on Conflict of Interest, the importance of developing a lean, efficient and service-oriented public administration, and the implementation of a transparent and fiscally responsible budget process in 2021.
In visiting the Port, the Supervisor welcomed the news from the Port Director Marinko Viljušić and Deputy Director Alija Osmanbašić that the first tender for Brčko Port modernisation project had been issued this month, with the tender for the crane to be issued in January, and for modifications to the road and railroad access points to the Port in February. With these steps locked in, Brčko residents should see construction work in the Port beginning in late Spring.
During his meeting with representatives of the public utility company “Komunalno Brčko,” CEO Kemal Atić, Deputy CEO Branka Đurić, and Chairman of the Governing Board Petar Domić, the Supervisor commended their work on securing a two-year electricity supply contract for the District. They discussed how this two-year period will be used to adopt new District laws on electricity, renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency that would stimulate new investments in the District’s energy sector. Also, the implementation of the recently approved KM 1.5 million investment into electricity infrastructure expansion will help create a favourable environment for the growth of the business sector, in turn contributing to raising the quality of life for all residents of the District, the Supervisor added.
In his meeting with “STUDEN & CO Holding” Corporate Communications Director Nataša Pucar, Supervisor Scanlan was informed that the District Government had recently initiated a public discussion on a special agreement based on the memorandum signed by the District Government and “STUDEN & Co Holding.” The Supervisor commented that, regardless of which private investor puts forth the best bid, progress on this public-private initiative in January will send a clear signal to all investors that Brčko is open for business. The Supervisor also highlighted the critically important role the Chamber of Commerce plays in championing an even and fair business environment for all businesses in the District.
Wednesday morning the Supervisor had meetings with the Brčko Police Chief Goran Pisić and Chief Prosecutor Zekerija Mujkanović. He congratulated them and their teams for their effective investigations into irregularities during the preparations for the conduct of the election process and called upon them to apply the same efforts now against public corruption. “Preventive measures against corruption and its prosecution if it takes place is job number one for the government, law enforcement bodies, and the citizens in this mandate. Citizens should report all cases of corruption they witness or experience to the law enforcement authorities, who will investigate the incidents. No one can be above the law in the District,” added the Supervisor.
