MINIĆ: SPECIFIC GOALS FOR FUTURE GOVERNMENT AIM TO CONFIRM AND STRENGTHEN STATUS OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

BANJA LUKA, SEPTEMBER 2 /SRNA/ – The Prime Minister-designate of the new Government of Republika Srpska Savo Minić stated that one of the concrete objectives of the future Government is to confirm and strengthen the status of Republika Srpska in accordance with the Dayton Peace Accords and the Constitution of BiH.

Minić noted that the Government will challenge anti-Dayton actions of the unelected foreigner Christian Schmidt, unconstitutional judiciary, and other BiH-level institutions established without constitutional basis.

"We will conduct a referendum on the decisions of Christian Schmidt as an illegal and illegitimate High Representative, the unconstitutional Court and Prosecutor's Office of BiH, and the unlawfully appointed Central Election Commission of BiH," announced Minić in his address to the MPs of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, presenting the program of the future Government.

Additional specific goals for the future Government include analyzing and preparing the reorganization of Republika Srpska's institutions, public enterprises, and public administration, reviewing the role of Republika Srpska's judicial institutions in protecting constitutionality and legality both within the entity and in BiH, and adopting measures for implementing Republika Srpska's laws, especially those enacted in the previous period concerning the entity's Dayton competencies.

The concrete objectives also include continuing cooperation and joint actions with the authorities of Serbia in line with the Declaration of the All-Serb Assembly held last year, conducting foreign policy activities in coordination with the President of Republika Srpska and the Serb member of the BiH Presidency, and initiating institutional and economic transformation of Republika Srpska toward a self-sustainable, fiscally stable, and development-oriented community with strong reliance on domestic resources, markets, and human capital.

According to Minić, these tasks encompass seven operational directions:

1. Short-term support for domestic consumption, which requires stable public finances directed at permissible fiscal easing, supporting demand through increasing disposable income for families, providing full support to the labor market – increasing wages, pensions, and other social benefits within the fiscal space and achieved productivity level; and activating the internal economic money circuit – from the budget to the economy and back to accelerate cash flow within the system.

Minić reminded that salaries, pensions, and other budgetary benefits have been steadily increasing in the previous period, and this policy will continue.

2. Establishing an investment registry and strengthening support for the domestic economy and private sector: create a unified database of 12,000 business entities with an investment map and needs of the economy; define a list of entrepreneur needs and barriers as a basis for reforms and incentives in the upcoming period.

3. Support for exporters – economic ambassadors of Republika Srpska: form a database of the 3,000 current exporters with precise sector needs, a clear vision of how to become even better ambassadors and innovators of domestic economic activity; provide administrative, infrastructural, and credit support to exporters; connect them with demand countries through economic diplomacy.

4. Activation of the workforce: youth, women, and pensioners through programs: "Start 20–25" for engaging young people in employment and entrepreneurship; "Active Women" for balanced work-family life; "Experience Counts" for pensioners wishing to continue contributing to active economic life in the economy and state; the goal is for more citizens to participate in the domestic labor market.

"Potential exists," Minić stressed.

5. Children's Savings and Investment Fund: using revenues and assets from monetization of public property /dividends, concessions, state-owned bonds/, establish a fund; every newborn and minor child receives a personalized account that grows until adulthood, the start of university, or initiation of private business, ensuring the economic preparedness of future generations; connect young generations with personal and national economy.

Minić also announced that Republika Srpska Government will establish an Alimony Fund modeled on Serbia, to support numerous parents who essentially raise children on their own.

6. Legislative package for self-sustainability includes adopting and implementing: Law on Strategic Reserves, Law on Public Property, Law on Capital Market Development, Law on Tax Independence, and Law on Natural Resources of Republika Srpska.

Additionally, Minić stressed the need to urgently amend, supplement, or enact new laws, including: Construction Law – addressing slow, expensive, and complicated permit procedures; Employment Mediation and Unemployment Rights Law; Seasonal and Temporary Work Law; and e-Invoicing Law to enable comprehensive invoice recording and better analytics for Republika Srpska.

7. Data management as a factor of economic growth: besides labor – our people, and capital – our national wealth, factor productivity and data as a new force will form the basis of long-term strategy; establish systemic databases to guide policy-making, investment allocation, and the economic security of citizens. /to be continued/