Newsroom
Reading room for Bosnia-Herzegovina's parliament opened
SARAJEVO 23 September 2002
SARAJEVO, 23 September 2002 - A reading room for the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina was opened today in the Common Institutions Building in Sarajevo. It is a result of a co-operative effort between the parliamentary assembly, the OSCE and the British Government, which funded the project.
At the opening ceremony, Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft described it as a bold first step for the Parliament's research and public information capability and an invaluable resource for legislators and members of the executive branch alike.
"Parliamentary members and staff will now have quick access to archives, journals, and reference material", said Ambassador Beecroft. "The reading room will be a space in which members and staff can meet to research or discuss legislative issues. It will be a unifying link that will help raise the quality of debate within BiH's Parliaments and produce legislation that best responds to and protects all citizens. The citizens of BiH will also be able to utilize the reading room's resources. One of the goals of this project is to generate greater citizen participation in government."
He thanked the British Government, which is funding the project, the European Union and the British Council, who have provided support to it, and at last but not least, the parliamentary officials and staff. "The project's success would not have been possible without their co-operation, ideas and above all their enthusiasm," said Ambassador Beecroft.
The establishment of the reading room is a part of the OSCE Parliamentary Support Project. Since January 2001, the OSCE has worked with Parliaments at both the State and Entity levels in BiH. The Parliamentary Support Project aims to strengthen committee work, administrative capacity and public outreach. The goal is to foster and support effective, responsive legislative bodies for all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At the opening ceremony, Ambassador Robert M. Beecroft described it as a bold first step for the Parliament's research and public information capability and an invaluable resource for legislators and members of the executive branch alike.
"Parliamentary members and staff will now have quick access to archives, journals, and reference material", said Ambassador Beecroft. "The reading room will be a space in which members and staff can meet to research or discuss legislative issues. It will be a unifying link that will help raise the quality of debate within BiH's Parliaments and produce legislation that best responds to and protects all citizens. The citizens of BiH will also be able to utilize the reading room's resources. One of the goals of this project is to generate greater citizen participation in government."
He thanked the British Government, which is funding the project, the European Union and the British Council, who have provided support to it, and at last but not least, the parliamentary officials and staff. "The project's success would not have been possible without their co-operation, ideas and above all their enthusiasm," said Ambassador Beecroft.
The establishment of the reading room is a part of the OSCE Parliamentary Support Project. Since January 2001, the OSCE has worked with Parliaments at both the State and Entity levels in BiH. The Parliamentary Support Project aims to strengthen committee work, administrative capacity and public outreach. The goal is to foster and support effective, responsive legislative bodies for all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.