Banja Luka and Sanski Most firms join OSCE's Fair Employment Project
OSCE's Fair Employment Project foresees that skills, abilities, experience and education should determine who are employed. (Lubomir Kotek/OSCE) Photo details
BANJA LUKA, 17 October 2002 - Three firms today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the OSCE to participate in the Fair Employment project. The firms pledge to adopt principles of equal possibilities for all, regardless of gender, national origin, political affiliation, trade union activity or other status, the core elements of the project.
Victor A. Tkachenko, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) signed the MoU on behalf of the organization, and Mr. Vlatko Zrilic, owner of Termont Company in Drvar, Mr. Hase Osmancevic, owner of Zlatna Dolina in Sanski Most and Mr. Esad Softic, director of Splonum in Sanski Most, on behalf of their companies.
All three see clear benefits of their involvement, they emphasized. "We encourage co-operation between all ethnicities and respect for the rights of workers. I believe that the advice we will receive from the OSCE will benefit my colleagues and myself, and as a result we will be better prepared for entry into Europe," said Mr. Softic.
Ambassador Tkachenko commended the firms for participating, stressing the need for equal work opportunities for all, "regardless of ethnic, religious or political background."
"Skills, abilities, work experience and education should determine who are employed," he said.
Altogether 22 employers - private firms and municipalities - all around BiH are currently participating in the program. The mayor of Drvar, Dragan Puzigača, signed yesterday a similar MoU with the OSCE on behalf of the municipality. The firms signing today deal with wood processing, food and fodder production, catering and producing building materials, employing well over 300 people.
Research conducted in BiH in 1999 confirmed that cases of discrimination in the post-war period are mostly based on national-ethnic origin and political affiliation, and that the affected groups are mostly returnees. That presents an obstacle for creating the conditions for sustainable return and prosperity of the country.
The aim of the Fair Employment project is to enable public and private sector employers to improve their businesses, attract foreign investment and join the foreign market by using proper principles and methods, and to increase the awareness of existence of discrimination at work and in employment practices. OSCE personnel will provide professional advice regarding employment of new staff, improvement of work evaluation methods, and disciplinary and dismissal procedures, to name a few.
Victor A. Tkachenko, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) signed the MoU on behalf of the organization, and Mr. Vlatko Zrilic, owner of Termont Company in Drvar, Mr. Hase Osmancevic, owner of Zlatna Dolina in Sanski Most and Mr. Esad Softic, director of Splonum in Sanski Most, on behalf of their companies.
All three see clear benefits of their involvement, they emphasized. "We encourage co-operation between all ethnicities and respect for the rights of workers. I believe that the advice we will receive from the OSCE will benefit my colleagues and myself, and as a result we will be better prepared for entry into Europe," said Mr. Softic.
Ambassador Tkachenko commended the firms for participating, stressing the need for equal work opportunities for all, "regardless of ethnic, religious or political background."
"Skills, abilities, work experience and education should determine who are employed," he said.
Altogether 22 employers - private firms and municipalities - all around BiH are currently participating in the program. The mayor of Drvar, Dragan Puzigača, signed yesterday a similar MoU with the OSCE on behalf of the municipality. The firms signing today deal with wood processing, food and fodder production, catering and producing building materials, employing well over 300 people.
Research conducted in BiH in 1999 confirmed that cases of discrimination in the post-war period are mostly based on national-ethnic origin and political affiliation, and that the affected groups are mostly returnees. That presents an obstacle for creating the conditions for sustainable return and prosperity of the country.
The aim of the Fair Employment project is to enable public and private sector employers to improve their businesses, attract foreign investment and join the foreign market by using proper principles and methods, and to increase the awareness of existence of discrimination at work and in employment practices. OSCE personnel will provide professional advice regarding employment of new staff, improvement of work evaluation methods, and disciplinary and dismissal procedures, to name a few.