BOSNA I HERCEGOVINA
BiH ostaje jedna od najsiromašnijih zemalja u Evropi i uveliko zaostaje za ostatkom regiona u reformama potrebnim za članstvo u Evropsku Uniju i NATO. Da bi uhvatila korak, BiH će morati da ubrza reforme. Mi i naši evropski partneri tražimo od BiH da počne sa društveno-ekonomskim reformama koje mogu opipljivo uticati na život građana BiH. Nadamo se da će te početne reforme dovesti do institucionalnih i političkih reformi koje BiH treba da bi postala stabilna, funkcionalna zemlja u potpunosti integrisana sa ostatkom Evrope. Čvrsto vjerujemo da budućnost BiH leži u EU i NATO – i sve nove EU kandidatkinje su morale da preduzmu znatne reforme, uključujući i ustavne promjene. Ustav BiH se bazira na Dejtonskom sporazumu koji je potpisan prije 20 godina i treba da se prilagodi novim činjenicama i standardima.
Ključne društveno-ekonomske reforme uključuju reformu zakona o radu da bi se omogućilo dinamičnije tržište radnih mjesta, reforme o poslovnoj klimi da bi se usmjerili procesi i prekinula kompleksnu birokraciju, i reforme u poreznom sistemu kako bi se cijena zapošljavanja u BiH dovela u liniju sa standardima EU. Reforma javne administracije takođe ima potencijal da znatno poboljša efikasnost službi, smanji troškove građanima kroz reorganizaciju i rastereti privatni pogonski sektor u ekonomiji koji sada zaostaje zbog preglomaznog i izuzetno opsežnog javnog sektora.
Teško je za svaku zemlju da mijenja zastarjele zakone o radu i kolektivne ugovore, a štite ih ušančeni interesi – ali jedini načini da se stvore nova radna mjesta i rast je modernizacija ekonomije BiH. Ovo uključuje reviziju državnih kompanija koje podržavaju sistem pokroviteljstva koji favorizuje političku podobnost a ne profesionalnu konkurentnost. Taj koruptivni sistem dovodi ta ista državna preduzeća do propasti i lošeg rukovođenja i zato su neka od njih otišla pod stečaj. Uspješna obnova i privatizacija tih preduzeća učiniće ekonomiju BiH jačom, konkurentnijom i sposobnom da stvori stabilna, dobro plaćena radna mjesta.
Korupcija ostaje ozbiljan problem u BiH. Naša ambasada podržava napore BiH protiv korupcije na razne načine, uključujući rad s policijom, sudijama i tužiteljima da bi se ojačao kapacitet i pomogla rješenju slučajeva vezanih za korupciju i organizovani kriminal. Uz rad s vladom, takođe aktivno podržavamo grupe civilnog društva da zastupaju transparentnost i zaštitu zviždača. Naš cilj je pomoći u stvaranju okruženja u kome će lideri i zvaničnici biti odgovorni za svoje djelovanje i u kome niko nije iznad zakona.
Takođe treba da pomognemo da se njeguje zajednička vizija budućnosti za građane Bosne i Hercegovine. Vidjeli smo taj potencijal za vrijeme katastrofalnih poplava prije skoro godinu dana kad su se građani ujedinili kao susjedi da se suoče s krizom. U času potrebe, rafting klubovi, studenti, poljoprivrednici i mali privatnici pomogli su jedni drugima ne gledajući na etničku pripadnost.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
BiH remains one of the poorest countries in Europe and lags far behind the rest of the region in reforms needed for membership in the European Union and NATO. In order to catch up, BiH will need to accelerate reforms. We and our European partners have urged BiH to begin with socio-economic reforms that can make a tangible impact on the lives of BiH’s citizens. We hope these initial reforms will lead to institutional and political reforms that BiH needs in order to become a stable, functional state fully integrated with the rest of Europe. We firmly believe that the future of BiH lies in the EU and NATO – and all new EU candidates have had to undertake substantial reform, including constitutional changes. BiH’s constitution is based on the Dayton Accords, signed 20 years ago, and needs to be adapted to new facts and standards.
Key socio-economic reforms include labor law reform to enable a more dynamic jobs market, business climate reforms to streamline processes and cut red tape, and tax reforms to bring the costs of hiring in BiH more in line with EU standards. Public administration reform also has the potential to substantially improve the effectiveness of services, reduce costs to citizens through right-sizing, and unburden the private sector engine of the economy, which is right now held back by an overly cumbersome and exceptionally large public sector.
Outdated labor laws and collective bargaining agreements are difficult for any country to change, and are protected by entrenched interests – but the only way to create new jobs and growth is by modernizing the BiH economy. This includes overhauling state-owned companies that support a patronage system that favors political loyalty over professional competence. This corrupt system dooms these same state-owned enterprises to waste and mismanagement and has left some of them essentially bankrupt. Successful restructuring and privatization of these enterprises would make BiH’s economy stronger, more competitive and able to create stable, well-paying jobs.
Corruption remains a serious problem in BiH. Our Embassy supports BiH’s anti-corruption efforts in a variety of ways, including by working with police, judges, and prosecutors to strengthen capacity and help build cases related to corruption and organized crime. In addition to working with the government, we are also actively supporting civil society groups to advocate for transparency and protection for whistleblowers. Our goal is to help create an environment in which leaders and officials are held accountable for their actions and no one is above the law.
We also need to help foster a shared vision of the future for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We saw the potential for this during the disastrous floods almost one year ago, when citizens came together as neighbors to meet the crisis. In the hour of need, rafting clubs, students, farmers and small business owners helped each other with no regard to ethnic background.