Čavara's concern about public spending is laughable; in 2011 they left the FBiH budget in ruins

President of the Federation of BiH Marinko Čavara has no need to show this much nervousness because all the problems he believes he has with the FBiH Government can be resolved by electing a new government, responded the Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH Nermin Nikšić to a query from the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Of course, in agreement with his vice-presidents and the FBiH Parliament, which is the procedure prescribed by the Constitution, Nikšić added.

Explaining the decision made on Friday, which banned the Federal government led by Nermin Nikšić from adopting certain decisions, the President of FBiH Marinko Čavara stated that according to the Constitution, he is the head of the executive branch.

- That responsibility does not allow me to permit the adoption of decisions that unjustifiably increase public spending, Čavara said.

He said that the order to the government came also due to the incompatibility of functions of six ministers who, after the October 2014 elections, accepted new mandates in the legislative branch.

Čavara emphasized that if the government continues to adopt disputed decisions, an initiative for its dismissal will follow, and added that he nevertheless hopes that in the meantime a new government will be appointed and that there will be no need for the dismissal of the outgoing one.

- As for the work of the FBiH Government while I am at its helm, it will, as before, act in accordance with the Constitution and laws of FBiH – said Nikšić.

- The President of FBiH, who often makes claims about unconstitutionality and illegality, should know that he is not the one who determines the constitutionality and legality of any decision, but rather the institutions of the judiciary. It is obvious that Čavara, following the example of his predecessor Budimir, thinks that his title of President of FBiH gives him unlimited powers. Fortunately, even in such a complex constitutional and legal system, the Constitution and laws are completely clear when it comes to the powers of the President and the Government of FBiH, which should also be clear to him. The delusions and illusions in which the new President of FBiH lives and operates would not be a problem if Čavara were not in such a responsible position, which he obviously uses only to ensure the fulfillment of the narrow political interests of a few, and not the interests of all citizens, which according to the Constitution should be his only task.

Claims about alleged concern for reducing public spending are more than laughable when they come from a man who belongs to a party that left the FBiH budget in ruins in 2011 and hundreds of millions of marks in debt, which this Government has almost completely paid off.

I want to inform Čavara that in March 2011, salaries from the FBiH budget were paid for 7,157 workers, while today they are paid for 6,870 workers. Therefore, this Government has reduced the number of employees receiving salaries from the FBiH budget by 287 workers, compared to the Government in which Čavara's party colleagues and coalition partners sat, and that speaks volumes about our attitude towards reducing public spending – stated the Prime Minister, as reported by NAP.