Forum in Doboj: There must be no government and opposition in supporting returnees

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - A forum titled "Sustainable returnee communities in the entity of Republika Srpska (RS) - challenges and perspectives" was opened today in Doboj, organized by the Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees.

Federal Minister of Displaced Persons and Refugees Edin Ramić explained that this is an annual forum where they present the work program from the past period and plans for the next year to those who somehow represent the returnee community in the RS entity. In this case, these are elected councilors in municipal and city assemblies of RS, elected national deputies, delegates, and activists in non-governmental organizations, and political representatives.

"Through proposals and suggestions, we use conclusions to take into account the opinions of elected officials at the local level at the beginning of next year when adopting the work program of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for supporting the return process," said Ramić.

A novelty at this year's conference is that we will pay more attention to cooperation with the diaspora, institutional networking, and I hope that the opinions of local representatives who have significant contacts and cooperation with the diaspora will also serve us to prepare our programs more effectively," said Ramić.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegović, emphasized that he gladly responded to support projects that will relate to further support for sustainable return.

"Bosnian society and citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina are affected by various problems, the most vulnerable part of that society are returnees, so it is a special segment of society to which we must pay special attention. Without the stay of minority Bosniaks and Croats in RS and Serbs in FBiH, there is actually no renewal, reconstruction, integration of the multi-ethnic substance of BiH, so this most vulnerable part of Bosnian society is actually a chance to largely renew that society as we remember it before the war," explained Izetbegović.

He emphasized that finances are needed.

"Projects that directly relate to people's employment are needed, the continuation of infrastructure construction is needed, projects related to security. So, a multidisciplinary approach, but I think everything is easier when the necessary funds are secured. So, our special focus will be on securing funds for the next two mandates, for the next eight years," said Izetbegović.

The work of the ministry in the past year, as well as plans for 2022, was presented at the annual forum, and three panels are planned on the topics: "Electoral System - Status and Inclusion of Returnees", "Cooperation with Emigration/Diaspora", and "Education, Youth and Pronatalist Policy - Sustainability of Return".

"We will talk about everything we have done so far and what we need to do by the general elections that await us next year. Unfortunately, the growth of all of us in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the fact that we still have a Ministry for Refugees and that 20 years after the war we have not solved the burning social problem of reintegrating Bosnian society," said Vojin Mijatović, Vice-President of the Social Democratic Party of BiH, the introducer of the panel "Electoral System - Status and Inclusion of Returnees".

According to him, this is a problem of Bosnian society that can only be solved together.

"These are topics that we all need to talk about, there is no government and opposition here," added Mijatović.

He added that for the FBiH area, care for displaced persons is simpler because they have adequate cooperation with municipal mayors.