Cormack: Bosnia and Herzegovina needs people with vision and courage to move it forward

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - A reception was held tonight at the United States Embassy on the occasion of US Independence Day (July 4), attended by guests from political, cultural and public life in Bosnia and Herzegovina. US Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Maureen Cormack, in her address, summarized the past three years of her stay in BiH.

- I have been in BiH for more than three years now, and it seems appropriate to speak tonight about our joint achievements. Often people here see only the negative, but there are also many positive things in BiH that need to be highlighted to remind citizens that they can build a better future here for themselves and their descendants. I came to this country determined to help BiH and its citizens make progress. Although we have faced many challenges in the past few years, many successful projects have also been implemented.

If we just look across the street, we will see the National Museum – I am incredibly proud because we jointly reopened it in my first year here, and it will be of use to citizens, pupils and students in BiH in the coming years. I enjoy watching children get off the bus and line up in front of the museum to learn about their shared history and culture.

In 2016, we worked with BiH leaders on drafting the first Defence Review in BiH, which represents a vision of a joint security plan for all citizens of this country. Our support for the Armed Forces of BiH and the Ministry of Defence has also helped the country progress towards activating the Membership Action Plan (MAP). Through our programs, we have also continued equipping and professionalizing the police throughout BiH.

Over the past year, we have brought together key partners in the international community to work on integrating and improving the education system for all pupils and students. We have also launched the Business Council for Education to combine the skills and vision of business leaders and efforts to improve the standard of education throughout BiH.

Recently, in cooperation with local NGOs and institutions, we installed air quality monitoring equipment at the embassy, which will enable citizens and local leaders to better deal with the problem of air pollution in Sarajevo.

These are just some of the many positive steps we have taken in partnership with citizens and colleagues who are committed to continuing BiH's European path and laying the groundwork for even greater progress in the future.

As for the future, the United States remains determined to continue to be a reliable partner and friend of BiH as it faces the problems of the modern world, including those related to security and stability. The challenges are numerous, but the US will be with you on every leg of that journey in the years ahead.

I don't want to spoil the mood, but I know you were all certainly expecting me to mention the Election Law. We have invested time and effort in it together because the citizens of BiH deserve a functional electoral system and a properly formed government. It is time to stop nationalist rhetoric, talk of boycotts and blockades, and focus on the clear demands and needs of the citizens of BiH. There are practical, concrete solutions, and the only way to implement electoral reform is for political leaders to take responsibility and find the strength and courage to make difficult decisions and reach a compromise. We, the EU, and our partners in the international community will continue to help until the voting is completed and a government is formed.

And then Bosnia and Herzegovina needs people who have the vision, courage and dedication to pull this beautiful country forward. Such a spirit exists throughout BiH and should continue to develop and grow.

From the Race for the Cure, in which men, women and children from Bihać to Banja Luka, from Tuzla to Bijeljina, from Široki Brijeg to Sarajevo, who have themselves gone through or have been with their loved ones going through the trauma of breast cancer, participate; to our Embassy's Youth Council which is making a website so that students can learn about the best university programs in the country; to the 35,000 young people who participated in the Youth Sports Games supported by USAID last year and who had the opportunity to meet peers from other communities.

Throughout the country, there are people who live and work together towards the common goal of building a society of harmony and understanding. Our debt to them is to translate that into the reality of BiH.

And as we celebrate our Independence Day, a day that unites Americans more than any other day, thank you for your friendship – we remain committed to working together so that Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes a prosperous, tolerant and just state - Cormack said.