The Man Who Created the Agency: I Will Never Vote for a "War Skeleton" to Oversee Education in BiH

The House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly appointed former Republika Srpska President Nikola Poplašen as one of the members of the Management Board of the Agency for Higher Education of BiH at its last session, which has caused great public outcry, writes the Patria News Agency.

After the delegates themselves realized what they had done, apologies followed from Sifet Podžić (DF) and Sead Kadić (SDA), but only after that did greater unease arise, as the public wondered how it was possible for such significant matters to pass the delegates in "ignorance" and under the excuse of "with this mind, I would not vote now".

This proposal will now be considered by the deputies of the House of Representatives of the PSBiH, and for Patria, MP Senad Šepić, who served as Deputy to Sredoje Nović, the then Minister of Civil Affairs of BiH, at the time of the establishment of the Agency for Higher Education, shared his opinion.

- The only good thing that happened after the session of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament, where delegates voted to appoint the decorated Chetnik duke Nikola Poplašen as a member of the Management Board of the Agency for Higher Education of BiH, is that the public and citizens have become acquainted with and seen how the political elite in BiH functions. Full of talk about Europe and integration, and then you raise your hand for a Chetnik duke to oversee higher education in our country, well, that doesn't go together – stated Šepić.

He adds that the current majority must be credible and show a real commitment to the EU, and that there has been enough empty talk and clichés.

- The appointment of Poplašen is a return to the old ways, and such decisions destroy the trust of all honest people and those who are truly for a modern and European path for this country. The BiH Parliament and the BiH Council of Ministers must take steps that will open processes and democratize our society, involve and encourage people to fight for a European BiH, a legal state of equal opportunities, and not, besides choosing war skeletons from the closet like Poplašen, and announcements we hear that in the preparation of the new election law, they want to close lists, give mandates to parties, and abolish people's right to choose – added Šepić.

MP Šepić further emphasizes that parliaments exist to serve citizens, not to serve party leaders and narrow groups of people and well-tuned systems that elect people like Poplašen to the most responsible positions.

- That is unacceptable, and therefore I will vote against the appointment of Poplašen in the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament and against a return to the old ways, but also against any potential advocacy for closing lists and taking mandates from elected representatives in favor of party leaderships – added Šepić.