GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN SERIOUS MEASURES TO RETAIN YOUNG PEOPLE IN SRPSKA

BANJA LUKA, JULY 22 /SRNA/ - The Prime Minister of Republika Srpska, Savo Minić, stated that anyone who wishes to do so has guaranteed conditions to stay, live, and work in Srpska, as the Government has taken serious support measures.

In an interview with SRNA, Minić said that a single line ministry cannot ensure that young people stay in Republika Srpska, but that the Government, through its measures, is securing the retention of both young people and those in rural areas.

He noted that a major investment cycle is currently underway in Republika Srpska, including in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

"In local communities alone, 611 million KM has been invested in projects they requested. And this is just one measure in a series aimed at bringing people back. These are projects that directly impact the GDP, employment, and citizens' savings," Minić added.

He reminded that the project "Village of Republika Srpska - my place to live" is currently being implemented. Through this project, the Government enables young families under 40 years of age to purchase machinery under highly favorable conditions, adding that it provides a 60 percent subsidy.

"We have undertaken a series of measures for rural development through the Ministry of Agriculture, along with measures that can be utilized regularly, as well as investments in road infrastructure and kindergartens, so that those living outside the cities can provide their families with everything that is currently a normal standard," Minić stated.

When asked how to keep young people from leaving, Minić stated that young people need to have realistic parameters regarding what they will do when they go somewhere, what kind of family life they will have, and how much they will earn, to see if it is worth it.

He assessed that it is important to align desires and ambitions, adding that he appreciates the courage of those who left, but emphasized that many are returning.

"We hear what is happening in Germany, Austria, and Slovenia, where they went to have a better life. Someone might earn a little more there, but when you weigh it up and consider our culture and mentality, the quality of life is different," Minić believes.

According to him, Srpska runs the best fiscal policy in the region and has the lowest electricity prices.

"What is the percentage of income tax here compared to the region, what is the corporate profit tax, what are the tax burdens and contributions on personal incomes? We even lowered that from 33 to 31 percent. For our economy, that means hundreds and hundreds of millions in support," Minić specified.

Minić said that these are facts that those who dispute the Government's results cannot argue against.

Anyone who wants to seriously engage in politics, Minić says, must also know economics and understand that an investment cycle involves borrowing, which will ultimately result in revenue, increased consumption, higher employment, and more money in legal channels.

Speaking about energy projects, Minić said he is not entirely satisfied with their implementation because they take years, but that for objective reasons, it was not possible to accelerate them.

He cited the example of the major "Buk Bijela" project, which is stalled due to problems with political Sarajevo and Montenegro.

"I can now announce that this should be unblocked very soon, and there are also Dubrovnik One, Two, and Three, Mrsovo, and Bistrica," Minić said.

He also reminded of the huge quantities of unmined coal in Ugljevik, where another thermal power plant could be built, but noted that someone failed to mine the coal and stressed that someone must be held accountable for that.

Minić concluded that Republika Srpska has enormous potential when it comes to energy, announcing that much has been done as a prerequisite for numerous projects to be completed.