Minister Bevanda claims he is not preventing the general elections from being held

(Patria) - The Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH received a document from the Central Election Commission (CEC) regarding the operational expenditure plan for the first quarter of this year and submitted its opinion, which is in accordance with the Law on Financing of BiH Institutions, and therefore cannot prevent the financing of the general elections, as stated in many media outlets.

According to the CEC's letter, certain inconsistencies and irregularities were noted in the expenditure plan for the first quarter of this year, which the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH pointed out and asked this institution to amend the operational plan in order to comply with the law and valid bylaws regulating this area.

Media reports stating that the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH, headed by Minister Vjekoslav Bevanda, is preventing financing, and even the holding of general elections, are far from reality, as confirmed by Article 11 of the Law on Financing of BiH Institutions.

This article, paragraph (5), states:

„During the period of temporary financing, the Council of Ministers may adopt a special decision on expenditures not foreseen in the budget of the previous year, provided that the expenditures of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the expenditures from paragraph (2) of this article, cannot exceed the sum of revenues collected during the period of temporary financing from indirect taxes, own revenues, and transferred funds. Expenditures on this basis are approved in accordance with the provisions of Article 17 of this law, which prescribes the use of the current reserve.“

The CEC, like all other institutions, is obliged to comply with valid instructions in planning its expenditures during the period of temporary financing, and the obligation of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH is to point out, with its opinion, all activities that are not in accordance with legal regulations.