High Representative Proposes 10-Point Plan to Fight Corruption and Create Jobs

Addressing a joint session of the BiH Parliament on Monday 27 May, High Representative Paddy Ashdown introduced his overall strategy for launching a sustained assault on crime and corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina and promoting significant job-creation. The High Representative summarised his policy as: “First Justice. Then Jobs. Through Reform”.

The High Representative proposed the following crime-prevention strategy:

1. Set up a special court-chamber to take on sensitive, high profile cases;
2. Complete the establishment of the Court of BiH;
3. Complete the process of creating a comprehensive legal framework so the police, prosecutors and courts have the legal tools needed to bring criminals to justice;
4. Get the High Judicial Council operational by the autumn, so that BiH can have the high-quality judges and prosecutors it deserves;
5. Strengthen the systems that scrutinize government and prevent abuses of power in the public sector.

The High Representative proposed the following employment strategy:

1. Sweep away the unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy that makes it so difficult to run an honest business and drives so many into the grey economy;
2. Develop laws that will help small businesses obtain credit and expand;
3. Create a single, user-friendly system for registering new businesses;
4. Push forward the reforms on property and land ownership law, so that people can invest and plan with confidence;
5. Establish accelerated procedures for dealing with business disputes.