AMIDŽIĆ: INVESTOR INTEREST SEEN AS PROOF OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKA’S ECONOMIC STRENGTH

BANJA LUKA, MARCH 28 /SRNA/ – Borrowing on the London Stock Exchange confirms the financial stability of Republika Srpska and ensures continuity in payments and project implementation, the Minister of Finance and Treasury in the Council of Ministers Srđan Amidžić has said.

Speaking about the Eurobond issuance, Amidžić explained that it is a financial transaction that ensures stable budget expenditures and the continuation of ongoing investments, including infrastructure projects, construction of hospitals and roads, as well as development initiatives such as the science and technology park in Banja Luka and a student dormitory in Foča.

He stressed that investor interest exceeded the amount Republika Srpska ultimately raised, which, he said, represents external confirmation of its financial position.

"Republika Srpska entered a market where investors analyze all financial parameters and decide whether to invest based on that. This is the best confirmation of financial stability," Amidžić told RTRS.

He added that careful consideration was given to total and public debt levels, and that not all available funds were withdrawn because there was no need.

In that context, Amidžić noted that the investor structure includes banks, funds and private individuals, which, he said, further confirms confidence.

"No one invests their money unless they believe it will be returned," he emphasized.

Explaining the significance of such borrowing, Amidžić said it ensures the stability of salaries, pensions and other budget payments, while also enabling the continuation of projects that generate economic activity.

"These projects involve contractors, workers, payment of taxes and contributions, and in that way sustain economic activity and growth," Amidžić stated.

He also stressed that halting investments would have direct consequences for the economy.

"If there are no salaries, there is no consumption. If there is no consumption, someone else has no income and cannot pay workers, which leads to layoffs and reduced tax and contribution revenues," said Amidžić, also a Secretary General of SNSD.

Commenting on criticism from the opposition, he said that public assessments are often made without sufficient understanding of financial processes, highlighting local borrowing examples.

"For instance, the municipality of Šamac borrowed at an interest rate of Euribor 4.4, while Banja Luka borrowed at around 7.5 percent. None of us from other political options analyzed the borrowing of Šamac or Banja Luka. They took loans, pursued their policies, and that's fine. But then you come and criticize borrowing that has been verified by international investors," Amidžić pointed out.

GRADIŠKA BORDER CROSSING: HOURS-LONG DELAYS AND POLITICAL BLOCKADE

Referring to the failure to open the new Gradiška border crossing, Amidžić reiterated that citizens have been suffering the consequences for months.

"Queues stretch for kilometers, and people wait for seven or eight hours," Amidžić said, adding that he personally experienced such delay while returning from Belgrade yesterday.

He noted that the situation is particularly severe during holidays, when citizens may spend an entire day at the border.

"A person gets a few days off and spends one whole day at the border crossing," Amidžić said.

According to him, the reason for the crossing not opening is political.

"The failure to open the crossing just because it is located in Republika Srpska sends a clear message about how the system functions at the level of BiH," Amidžić stated.

He concluded that this example best illustrates the state of relations and the functioning of institutions at the BiH level.