LAJCAK CALLS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATION REFORMS IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 25,2008) – The International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia, Miroslav Lajčák, attended the signing of Memorandum of Understanding for Establishment of the Conference of Education Ministers in Bosnia between entity prime ministers and Bosnia's Prime Minister, held yesterday in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

Following the adoption of several long outstanding education laws in the second half of 2007 and the recent agreement on establishment of the Bosnian education agencies, the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding creates a good platform for better coordination and cooperation in this sphere in 2008.

"When the agencies are up and running, and when the Law on Vocational Education and Training is finally enacted, Bosnia will have a legislative and institutional framework in place for implementing education reforms in line with its EU Partnership requirements,“ said Lajčák following the signing of the Memorandum.

WORLD BANK TO SUSPEND 10 MILLION USD FROM BOSNIAN EDUCATIONAL SECTOR

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 25,2008) – Bosnia's Prime Minister Nikola Spiric met in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo with Head of the World Bank Office in Bosnia Marco Mantovanelli and his associates. Spiric proposed that the World Bank should help the regional project aimed to fight fire and flood disasters. The project is directed from Bosnia.

World Bank representatives stated that the idea is very interesting and announced that they will consider it carefully.

Spiric stated that the World Bank could help support public purchase related to fight against crime and corruption and development of statistics in the sense of equipping and educating the statistic agencies’ personnel for the census which will take place once the political decision is passed.

The officials also talked about the problems related to implementation of education restructuring project.

Mantovanelli stated that the project will be suspended but also expressed willingness of the World Bank to change the arrangement of its implementation and added that it would be a shame to “lose 10 million USD”.

Spiric also informed Mantovaneli that he will sign a memorandum of understanding for formation of Conference of Ministers of Education in Bosnia.He emphasized that the Conference will look for answers related to implementation of education restructuring project.

They also talked about servicing of Bosnia’s debt to the World Bank and on formation of the Bosnian Fiscal Council and about possibilities of increasing efficiency in the process of monitoring the realization of loans.

Mantovanelli informed Spiric that World Bank representatives visited the Brcko District for the purpose of including the District into the Sava River-related projects, in accordance with the last year’s calls to make Brcko District a part of the partnership strategy, the Bosnian Council of Ministers announced.