AMIDŽIĆ: I DO NOT AGREE WITH PROPOSED BUDGET

BANJA LUKA, AUGUST 15 /SRNA/ – The Minister of Finance and Treasury in the Council of Ministers Srđan Amidžić has stated today in Banja Luka that he does not agree with the proposed budget of BiH institutions for this year, which, among other things, allocates BAM 60 million for the Ministry of Defense and the purchase of weapons, as well as for BHRT and for the so-called cultural institutions at the BiH level.

"This was proposed by the Chair of the BiH Presidency Denis Bećirović and the Croat member Željko Komšić, with which I disagree, and it is all contrary to the law. At the same time, no funds are foreseen for salary increases for employees in joint institutions, and the session of the BiH Presidency is expected to be held next Tuesday," Amidžić said at a press conference.

He emphasized that the proposed budget of BiH institutions is also contrary to the positions of experts and the BiH Fiscal Council.

"Supposedly, if I don't know how to do something, then it will be done by Deputy Minister of Finance and Treasury Muhamed Hasanović," Amidžić added.

According to him, Bećirović and Komšić are disregarding professional expertise.

"With such a proposal, they have clearly said that 200 employees in the Ministry of Finance and Treasury in the Council of Ministers are not needed for the budget to be properly drawn up, nor is the Council of Ministers itself – the two of them are enough. I will not explain a proposed budget that contains no BAM 25 million for salary increases for employees in joint institutions," Amidžić stressed.

He underlined that the request of the Srebrenica Memorial Center has always been respected, but that now Bećirović and Komšić are granting this center an additional BAM 517,000, even though it was not requested.

"The procedure for the proposed budget has been violated and now everything is grotesque. We have also had a judicial process against the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, with the clear goal of removing him. One of the efforts is also to remove me. Here is why – because in the proposed budget, an additional BAM 31.5 million is allocated for the Armed Forces of BiH so that Minister Zukan Helez can purchase weapons," Amidžić said.

He pointed out that BAM 22.5 million is also foreseen for BHRT, which, as he put it, has incompetent management.

"Why not forward the money to RTRS and FTV as well? And finally, BAM eight million is allocated for the so-called cultural institutions at the BiH level, headed by Bosniaks. While respecting Bosniak culture and history, as a Serb I do not agree that Bosniaks should write my culture and history, nor do I wish to impose anything on them. And that is why I am a problem," Amidžić said categorically.

He asked the opposition and its leaders whether this proposed budget bothers them and whether they will support it in the BiH House of Representatives.

"Do you support this, and will you tell the citizens of Republika Srpska so? Is this responsibility, and should it receive support in the BiH Parliament? It does not bother you that the Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović will be outvoted and that money will be spent on weapons, but you are bothered by Milorad Dodik, Cvijanović, and myself! This is not the path BiH should take, and it cannot survive on such a path. This is done by those who wish ill to BiH, and let the SIPA union sue whomever they want, because everything is clear when it comes to salary increases," Amidžić said.