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The City of Bijeljina

Ambassadors of Slovakia and United Kingdom have visited Bijeljina

His Excellency Mr Edward Ferguson, the United Kingdom Ambassador and His Excellency Mr Jan Pšenica, the Slovakian Ambassador have visited the City of Bijeljina today.

With a reminder that the United Kingdom and Republic of Slovakia have provided valuable assistance last year, immediately during and after the floods, the Mayor Mićić has introduced ambassadors with the recovery from the floods, as well as with the plans for economic development of the City of Bijeljina:

The Mayor of Bijeljina has stressed out that “the European Union, in the latest efforts to support the economic recovery of BiH, is putting political issues at the second place, and I believe that this approach is good. In order to rapidly develop, a community must have the economic, political and security stability, good legislation, but also the business environment in local communities that could attract the investments. The City of Bijeljina, as local community, doesn’t have any influence at the first two conditions, since it is within the competence of the Authorities of the Republic of Srpska and BiH, but in the creation of a favorable business environment in Bijeljina there has been done much – through constructions and regulation of Industrial zones, the Project “GOLD”, activities to promote economic resources etc.”

The British Ambassador has  noted that the members of Fire Department from that country have taken part during the floods rescue operations and immediate elimination of the damage in Bijeljina, and that the United Kingdom has participated in the financing of reconstruction of school buildings within the European Union and UNDP Project. Also, His Excellency Mr Edward Ferguson, the UK Ambassador, has praised the efforts of the Bijeljina City Administration focused on economic recovery, stating that such an orientation is in line with the EU Strategy in the field of social and economic reforms. Speaking about the Slovakian experience with European integration, His Excellency Mr Jan Pšenica, the Slovakian Ambassador, stressed out that this process is crucial for immediate initiation of reforms and that we should not expect that someone else is working on it more than the countries that aspire to EU membership.

After the meeting with the Mayor of the City of Bijeljina, Ambassadors participated in the discussion of NATO on the Reform of the defense sector which was organized by the University of East Sarajevo. They have also visited the Elementary and Secondary school in Janja which were renovated with financial support from EU funds.