Mr. Peter Bas-Backer visited PARCO, on the 05.04.2007, and together with his associate Mrs. Margriet Prins held the meeting with the state public administration reform Coordinator, Mrs. Nevenka Savic and the Deputy, Mr. Suad Music.
The goal of the meeting was the deliberation of previous and future activities in the area of public administration reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and acquaintance with the newly named Coordinator Mrs. Savic.
Mrs. Savic welcomed Mr. Bas-Backer and informed him about the planned activities of the PARCO, along with acute problems PACO facing in its work. Updated list of activities for the April of 2007 was presented, together with the activities planned for the coming period. The problems in which PARCO expects the help from the OHR were also pointed out – primarily the insufficient budget of PARCO, than the recruitment of civil servants and the staffing of PARCO with professional and quality personnel.
Mr. Bas-Backer pointed out the significance of public administration reform as the precondition for the progress in other reform areas like the education, and the role PARCO has in that process. He particularly showed interest for the future activities, such as the adoption of Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of PAR Fund and Joint Platform on principles and terms for PAR Strategy Action Plan 1 implementation, the documents that have been created by PARCO and sent to the BH Governments on adoption. Activities and planned measures in specific reform areas were also discussed.
Senior Deputy High Representative expressed his satisfaction with the results in previous period, taking in account objective obstacles, and added that there is a lot of work left in the reform process. He promised full support of OHR to PARCO, and specifically with a view to the recruitment of staff in shortest period possible, in order of providing fully operational and staffed Office.
At the end of the meeting, Mr. Bas-Backer has wished to the new Coordinator success in work, together with the belief that theirs cooperation will be at the highest level. He expressed his conviction that OHR will significantly help in the achieving goals of public administration reform in BiH, and announced new meetings with the officials of PARCO.