MINIĆ: SRPSKA MORE STABLE THAN EVER, MOVING FORWARD UNSTOPPABLY

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, AUGUST 2 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska has never been more stable, its institutions are functioning, and a major investment cycle is being made that is to be accompanied by reforms, Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minić said.

Minić said that Republika Srpska is moving forward unstoppably.

He pointed out that Republika Srpska enjoys an exceptionally favourable environment compared with neighbouring countries, noting that electricity prices are the lowest in the region and that payroll contribution rates have been reduced from 33 percent to 31 percent.

"The price of electricity in Republika Srpska is €66 to €68, while in the FBiH it is over €90. In Croatia and Serbia, it ranges from €110 to €130," Minić said.

He added that Srpska is returning between BAM 600 million and 700 million to the economy, creating conditions for environment to perform better and for workers to enjoy improved rights.

The prime minister said Republika Srpska is also financially stable, as confirmed by all key indicators, stressing that no payments are delayed even by a single day.

According to Minić, Republika Srpska's public debt stands at 38 percent, the lowest in the region, a fact he said has been acknowledged by the London Stock Exchange, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Minić emphasized that Republika Srpska's partnerships with the United States, Russia and several European countries contribute to its political and economic stability and help prevent new conflicts in the region.

He pointed out that these partnerships had been achieved thanks to President Milorad Dodik and the Serb BiH Presidency member, Željka Cvijanović.

Republika Srpska's political stability, Minić says, is also reflected in its economic performance and investment activity.

"That is why we have succeeded in launching an investment cycle worth more than seven billion BAM in Republika Srpska," Minić said.

He stressed that Republika Srpska should continue cultivating relations with its international partners, specifically highlighting Serbia, the United States, Russia and Israel.

Minić also underlined the importance of preserving and strengthening Srpska institutions and protecting the identity of the Serb people, adding that BiH needs greater mutual respect and a new agreement on the way the country functions.

He said Republika Srpska is not seeking anything that does not belong to it, which is why it insists on exercising the rights guaranteed to it under the Dayton Peace Agreement.

Despite political differences, Minić said he does not regard the peoples of BiH as enemies of one another and assessed that preserving national identity is a fundamental principle governing relations among the country's peoples.