Bandić: SDA's government was better than the current one in Canton Sarajevo, the Troika has submitted to HDZ and SNSD

(Patria) - Muamer Bandić, a representative of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Assembly of Sarajevo Canton (KS), was a guest tonight on N1 television.

Bandić, among other things, spoke about the current political situation, accusing the Troika of submitting to HDZ and SNSD.

You are quite harsh towards the current government, is that because you were ousted from power at the cantonal level?

No, while SBiH was part of the government in KS, I criticised all processes and phenomena that did not lead to the rule of law and from which citizens did not have concrete benefit. While we were part of the government, I strongly criticised the High Representative's decision on appointing the FBiH government; I personally consider that the most detrimental decision.

The key thing is that by the High Representative's decision, one people became non-constitutive. The High Representative cannot be above the Constitution. Now you have a situation where one of the constitutive peoples does not participate in the organisation of BiH.

Is that too radical?

I think it is not. Only the President of FBiH gave consent for the appointment of the government. The Vice Presidents did not.

Was it expected that you would be disqualified at the cantonal level? Your ministers did not want to leave.

I was not an advocate for forming a coalition with the parties of the Troika; there is not enough democratic space to implement projects for the citizens.

These are just interest groups that now have certain power and are supported by the international community solely for the subjugation of policies coming from the pro-Bosniak bloc by two ethnic groups that have completely dominated the aquarium in which BiH finds itself - you have complete domination of SNSD and HDZ. RS is completely cleansed. A coalition is made based on a programme.

Where did you see that?

SBiH at the federal level insisted on a coalition with a programme. The Troika parties participated with us in drafting the programme, but HDZ did not accept it. In the negotiations, we anticipated that the High Representative would make the decision he made.

If you were them, and they were you, would you stop being in a coalition at the cantonal level?

I expected the Troika to make this move, but not to organise the government in this way. You had SBiH which made serious proposals. We proposed a decision to pay off all court rulings within four years.

Above court rulings in the world is only the sky; here in KS, only the government. They made a decision to annul their own decision after our ministers left KS. They returned to the principle of cheating state employees.

You were in the SDA government; was that one better or this current government?

That government was better.

Is SDA better than the Troika?

These are incomparable categories. The Troika parties have no vision for the development of the Canton.

Where did SDA lead us and why did you leave if it was good?

I had no space to work because I believed that some candidates were not at the level I was. I mean the majority from my municipal board; they did not have the election result like I did. I could not get an opportunity in SDA. SDA had better policies.

Why did it not realise that vision?

In that period when we were the government, we did not have the debt that the current one has. The current one has been indebted for 600 million as of 2024. Do we have concrete results besides the tram line?

Did SDA not take on debt or did it have capital projects/results?

I was in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy; we solved begging on the streets. We opened an institution for the care of those children. At that time, KS had a budget deficit of just over 100 million KM.

Is Semir Efendić a potential leader?

He understands politics extremely well and I think he is a person from whom this society can benefit. It has been shown at the state and federal level that he is not interested in positions.

And he has been a municipal mayor for how many years?

The position of Minister of Energy was very significant. Look at the projects he has implemented. I would like to see that leader who will unite the parties. Semir Efendić and Nermin Ogrešević did not agree to the dismantling of the Constitution.

Allegations that he ran to Bakir at the first call?

We know that Efendić did not want to meet with Izetbegović. That is not true. It constantly comes from circles of the Troika party that SBiH wanted to form a coalition with SDA. No variant could be made for SDA and SBiH to be in power at the cantonal level.

How do you comment on the KS Budget?

In this budget, revenues from indirect taxes have never been lower. We have a very serious problem due to the wind corridor. This is a systemic solution that would involve amending a certain number of laws and regulations, and in that way, we could put those resources to use.

KS is indebted for 600 million KM - 104 million KM is from domestic banks, meaning our interest rates are much higher than from foreign ones, and about 150 million from foreign ones.

Public enterprises are a very dangerous burden for both KS and the KS Budget. This budget plans about 100 million for their regular operations. That is completely unacceptable.

The systematisation is being abused to bring in suitable people, e.g., in the KS Health Centre. This government avoids problems. The patient pathway was promised to us several years ago and we still do not have it.

Why did SDA not create it?

It should have, I agree.

Are the debts justified if they are for the purpose of insulating public institutions, replacing private heating with gas, etc.?

If that is the case, I welcome it. But even now, we do not know how much the reconstruction of the tram line cost. It did not even have a technical acceptance. On several occasions, we asked Minister Šeta how much was actually spent.

Do you, as SBiH, feel responsible for the public call for housing subsidies for young people, since you were part of the government at the time?

That should be asked of Minister Bečarević. He proposed 12 million KM; if it had been accepted, everything would have been realised. I know nothing about the criteria.