Address of Chairman Bevnada at the Opening Ceremony of Forum for Prosperity and Jobs in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Vjekoslav Bevanda addressed at the opening ceremony of the Forum for Prosperity and Jobs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Below is the whole address of Chairman Bevanda: 

Respectfull Messrs Izetbegović, Steinmayer, Sorensen, Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

“Bosnia and Herzegovina is in the tenth day of experiencing a cataclysm. Almost one million of citizens of the state were forced to leave their homes. In a single night only, many lost their material wealth: houses, furniture, machines, automobiles, jobs, agricultural goods and others. It is with sadness and sorrow to say that human lives were lost, as well.

Our elders do not recall of such floods. Although it is often said for Bosnia and Herzegovina to have a wonderful, untamed nature, this time the nature demonstrated its shire wild and untamed ways. And it took its tool and will do so.

Happiness should be shared, so they say. Our sorrow, unfortunately, we share this time with our neighbours, as both Croatia and Serbia experienced the same calamity. These states, too, have to cope with unforeseeable damage, large problems and huge losses.

However, our people say in trouble you know a friend. And rightly our closest neighbours – Croatia and Serbia – were the first ones to rush to assist. Forgive me for not being able to mention all, but the assistance received from Germany, Turkey, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Austria, Montenegro, Macedonia, the entire European Union  and many others who come to the aid, conveyed us a message that we are not left alone.

This dreadful struggle of a man against the nature brought to surface all the best features in the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aid of each man to each man, without borders, regions, ethnicity, religion other any other divide, simple help of a human being to another human being is the shred of light lightening us in this darkness of catastrophe.

Just in the course of latest developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am pleased for this Forum intends to streamline the attention of the European Union towards well-being and jobs in BIH.

As Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH, I need to emphasise certain sectors in Bosnia and Herzegovina requiring support and assistance, such as:

-          Improvement of business environment in BIH, FDIs attraction to BIH (since reforms only can secure new jobs and new value crated in BIH);

-          Labour market reform (where we need to adjust the education system towards the most development-prospective sectors, arrange tax relieves for job creation, analyse overall labour market aiming at effectiveness increase); and

-          Anti-corruption measures and social reforms (to help create better view of BIH economy for both domestic and foreign investors, with a view at increasing living standard of BIH citizens).

Along with these reforms, the state now necessitates a comprehensive international assistance to recover from the disaster-caused crisis. We need to organise an international donor conference to include the European Commission Delegation for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and all other financial and humanitarian institutions.

With the best wishes for ht success of the conference and hoping for the best solutions for Bosnia and Herzegovina to be found, I would like to thank you for your kind attention.”

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