Mayor Ljubiša Petrović and his associates hosted the Ambassador of Slovenia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Damijan Sedar, at the City Administration today, as part of his first official visit to Bijeljina.
 
Recalling that a large number of students from Semberija study at universities across Slovenia, Ambassador Sedar stated, among other things, that this was one of the reasons why he felt a moral obligation to visit Bijeljina.
 
During today’s meeting, various topics were discussed – from global and regional issues to current political matters that affect the everyday lives of citizens in our country.
 
Commenting on the aspirations of countries in the region, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, to become members of the European Union, the Slovenian Ambassador emphasised that reforms in all sectors are key to full membership. According to him, even the simplest example, such as cross-border transport of goods, clearly illustrates that “fewer borders” are needed to save time and money. This, he said, is just one indicator of how EU membership would mean faster flow of goods, among other benefits.
 
“A modern Europe needs a "rounded" European Union. Your diaspora is large, which is a clear indication of the acceptance of European values and systems, due to the many advantages it offers for the everyday lives of ordinary people. If the EU candidate countries were to become members in the near future, we would have a more complete European Union,” said Sedar.
 
At the same time, the Ambassador pointed out that the complexity of the political system in Bosnia and Herzegovina must be taken into account, and that it is crucial for political representatives from both entities to prioritise the interests of their citizens, as this is the only way to achieve real progress.
 
Thanking the Ambassador for his visit, Mayor Petrović noted that Bijeljina has maintained friendly relations with the Municipality of Žalec in Slovenia for several years, and that today’s meeting also served as an opportunity to present in more detail the complex circumstances in which local self-government has been operating for an extended period.
 
“In addition to the complicated relations between political forces at the local level, the biggest issue Bijeljina faced over the past six months was the withholding of VAT revenue,” the Mayor explained, adding that following a serious legal battle, the Constitutional Court ruled to stop the unlawful withholding of funds. Concrete steps will now follow to recover the funds withheld over the past twelve months.
 
One of the topics discussed during the exchange of views was the need to raise environmental awareness in the local community, with Slovenia serving as an excellent example, as it is known for having a high level of environmental awareness among its citizens.
 
According to the Mayor, when it comes to environmentally conscious behaviour and projects, it would be very beneficial for our city to adopt Slovenian solutions for pedestrian and bicycle paths, as well as for traffic signage.
 
Summarising his impressions from the meeting, the Slovenian Ambassador stated that he sees Semberija as a reliable partner for cooperation, and one of the key interests of the country he represents is building partnerships with reliable partners. In his view, credibility is the only effective tool of diplomacy that leads to successful outcomes in mutual cooperation.
 
Thanking the Ambassador once again for his visit, Mayor Ljubiša Petrović reiterated that the city is open to various forms of cooperation with relevant partners from Slovenia, as well as from other countries.