Next three months crucial for ensuring good governance in Brčko

(Patria) - While Brčko is making clear progress in advancing critical infrastructure projects needed for economic growth, the next three months will show if the District authorities are ready to adopt the reforms needed to ensure good governance, the Principal Deputy High Representative and Brčko District Supervisor Michael Scanlan stated today.

This means the introduction into the Brčko District Assembly of a new law on civil service that will establish the parameters for an efficient, accountable, and leaner public administration.

This also means unequivocal support for the Anti-Corruption Office to review the professional files of all public employees to see if they had the required qualifications for the position they were hired into, to serve the citizens and businesses in Brčko.

Furthermore, it means ensuring that the same high standards of performance and integrity exist in the District’s public companies. Here, the authorities have the opportunity to engage an international donor to ensure that public companies’ financial performance, corporate governance, procurement practices, and workforce composition comply with their stated public service mission and international standards of transparency, accountability, and performance.

How the District authorities handle these and other related issues, such as the budget rebalance, the implementation of judgements of the Commission for Prevention of Conflict of Interest, and the prosecution of corruption cases, will make clear if the authorities and elected officials in the District are part of the solution or part of the problem, the Supervisor underscored.

These topics were discussed in the Supervisor’s meetings with the District Government and Assembly leadership, the Head of the Brčko District Public Works Department, as well as  representatives of Brčko branches of SP RS and “Ujedinjena Srpska” parties.