The outcomes and results of the two-year project: “Development of central bodies of governments in BiH,” including an outline of further steps that need to be taken, were presented on March 23 at the final conference in Hotel Europe in Sarajevo.
The aim of the EU funded project was to contribute to the development of a more effective, efficient and accountable public administration in BiH, capable of supporting the country’s EU integration process by enhancing capacities of the state and entity administration in the areas of policy development, policy planning and policy coordination.
The Project enhanced horizontal coordination within the four main beneficiaries of the project, namely: General Secretariats of the BiH Council of Ministers, Republika Srpska Government, BiH Federation Government and the Secretariat of the Brcko District BiH Government; and facilitated a certain level of harmonization of methodologies amongst them, with full consideration given to their own institutional capacity and procedural specificities.
Speaking at the Conference, Mr. Melvin Asin, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation to BiH, emphasized that the area of strategic planning and policy making is the first chapter of the Principles of Public Administration and of BiH’s Public Administration Reform Strategy.
“The decision of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels a week ago, where it agreed to proceed with the conclusion and entry into force of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with BiH, is a very encouraging first step after a long halt in BiH’s EU integration process. Reforming the administration and strengthening its centres, such as the general secretariats, is an indispensable part of this process,” Mr. Asin said.
The project also provided support to improvement of cooperation and informal learning amongst General Secretariats and other coordinating bodies of the governments. Mr. Vlado Blagojevic, General Secretary, General Secretariat of the Government of Republika Srpska, found the project very successful.
“Throughout the project we have acquired documents which are the basis for strategic one-year, medium and long-term planning at all levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” stated Mr. Blagojevic.
Furthermore, a comprehensive training to introduce new approaches to planning and policy making in BiH, developed on the basis of the local context and good practices from EU Member States, has been organized and delivered.
“Civil servants who are directly involved in policy making were trained, which we consider to be a key outcome that will contribute to improved quality, professionalism and accountability of public administration and development of policy, planning and reporting on the work of the Council of Ministers,” stated Mr. Zvonimir Kutlesa, General Secretary, General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of BiH.
The project was financed by the European Union under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA 2010) to the tune of 898,000 EUR and implemented by European Profiles S.A. Greece in consortium with Ecorys South East Europe, the Hungarian National Institute for Public Administration and the European Public Law Organization.
