Sarajevo (16 May 2017) – The donors in the sector of public administration reform, at the meeting held today in Sarajevo, expressed their clear support for their continuation of support and investment in the public administration reform in BiH, but the condition for that is adoption of the Public Administration Reform Strategy for the period 2017 – 2020.
Participants of the meeting, organised by the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office with the support of the Programme of Strengthening of Public Institutions, implemented by the GIZ by the Order of the Federal Republic of Germany, unanimously concluded that that the adoption of the PAR Strategy would need a full political support.
The representatives of the donors were presented today with the draft new strategic framework for PAR in BiH for the period 2017 – 2020, which was one of the recommendations of the European Commission, as well as with the initial financial framework needed for continuation of the reform. The PAR Strategy and the draft action plan for its implementation were drafted by the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office and the representatives of the government institutions from four administration levels, with support of the UK GG Fund and the German GIZ.
“Quick and simple procedures, open data and institutions, cheaper and easily accessible public services, transparent and inclusive approach to enactment of public policies and employment, respect of professional standards instead of political patronage – all these are the European standards our citizens also rightfully want and expect to see in the public administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina is implementing the public administration reform for ten years now and in that period a significant move forward was made in understanding and gradual introduction of European Standards”, pointed out Dragan Ćuzulan, public administration reform coordinator, and he invited the donors to continue investments in public administration. He reminded that the new approach of the European Commission to functioning of the public administration is related to a greater extent to change of the relationship between the state and the citizens, citizens are no longer seen as passive recipients, but actors who are in the centre of public administration and the process of decision making.
He added that the proposed draft Strategy was based on the Principles of public administration, previously developed by the SIGMA. According to him the new strategic framework should ensure progress monitoring of the effects of the reform, through appropriate performance indicators, which is also one of the requirements of the Principles of Public Administration”.
“The previous documents did not have a cost estimate and we tried to correct that in this planning cycle.” added Ćuzulan.
The public administration reform coordinators from the level of the Federation of BiH and the Brčko District of BiH, Mirsada Jahić and Vesna Mišović, and the deputy coordinator for public administration reform from the Republic of Srpska, Mikan Davidović, also stressed that without donor investment the citizens in BiH would not receive a quality, expeditious and professional public administration, which would be at their service, and not their burden.
Scope of the strategy, inclusion of the cantonal level of government in implementation of the measures, and coordination of the public administration reform process – are open issues that would be addressed to the government representatives in BiH.
This was the first sector meeting in the field of public administration reform, and a recommendation for its establishment and regular maintenance was given at the February session of the PAR Special group.
The meeting, among others, was attended by the representatives of the EU Delegation in BiH, the representatives of the Embassies of Sweden, Great Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany and Switzerland, the GIZ, the DEI, as well as by the representatives of the ministries of finance from all the levels of authorities in BiH.