Bečarević: KS Government was fully aware that money would be missing

(Patria) - Regarding the statement by Minister Bošnjak concerning subsidies for supporting young people in buying apartments, published on the Sarajevo Canton Government website, as a former minister and a minister who participated in the creation of this program, Almir Bečarević addressed the public.

"I would like to quote a part of Mr. Bošnjak's statement: '...in a way that non-refundable funds are approved to candidates according to the order on the final list of candidates in the amount of up to 12,000 KM, depending on the available funds in the Sarajevo Canton Budget for these purposes.'

The key part of the statement is 'depending on the available funds in the KS Budget for these purposes'. There are sufficient funds in the KS Budget, and with a very simple redistribution, just like the first time, funds can be secured.

Furthermore, I would like to quote from Mr. Bošnjak's statement: 'I stand by the fact that the criteria were not good and that for any kind of support for our citizens, they really must be better.'
In the context of the given statement, I would kindly ask that the young people, to whom the subsidies apply, and the general public finally be explained mathematically which criteria were not good?

None are listed in the statement. Also, whose hindsight is it that, as Bošnjak's statement says, the Sarajevo Canton Government UNANIMOUSLY assessed the criteria as excellent and gave them full support.

I want to publicly state to Minister Bošnjak that one of the key goals of this public call was precisely to encourage as many young people as possible to apply for the call and for as many young people as possible to receive this assistance so that they do not leave this Canton, as they are leaving it now.

The KS Government was fully aware that money would be missing, and now blaming everything on the political field shows all the inexperience of the relevant minister, because this has nothing to do with politics, but with the (in)ability to fulfill a simple promise made to young people so that, as I repeat, they do not leave the KS.

Young people who receive money are obliged to reside in the property for which they received assistance for 5 years, and this criterion was introduced for the first time, and this is the package to which the Government gave its consent. Therefore, the greater the coverage of young people with this call and the longer their stay in KS, not the smaller coverage and fuller buses to foreign countries. It is shameful for a minister, as a young person, to be unable to secure funds and now, as a mouthpiece for those who manage the KS budget, to mislead the public by saying there is no money. THERE IS MONEY!

Whether the KS Budget is on the verge of bankruptcy and whether the Government needs money for other purposes, I am ready to talk about that publicly as well. Finally, I am ready to publicly confront the relevant minister or anyone else from the KS Government, in order to publicly point out where the money is and how young people will receive 12,000 KM.

I also ask the KS Government to publicly publish everything that was discussed at the KS Government sessions regarding the criteria from the public call. If they are transparent, as they say, publish everything publicly.

I am not ashamed of anything, and least of all afraid," Bečarević stated.