Dodik claims majority, will offer seats in government to SDA and HDZ

Milorad Dodik, Marko Pavić and Petar Đokić signed an Agreement on Common Political Goals and Cooperation in Banja Luka today. The main points of the agreement are strengthening the economy, resolving social issues, fighting crime, corruption and terrorism, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

- We have secured sufficient capacity to form the National Assembly of Republika Srpska and the Government of Republika Srpska. Despite many speculations and the irresistible journalistic desire to know everything - we have the majority for the NSRS and we will manifest it on November 24. No fabricated affairs can take away the legitimacy of that majority - Dodik said.

According to information obtained by the Patria agency from the top of SNSD, Dodik has apparently managed to gather not only 42 deputies (SNSD, DNS, SRS, NS, SP), which is a narrow majority, but also to win over Vojin Mitrović from NDP, Dragan Čavić's party, so he already has 43 deputies.

Another deputy from the "Domovina" list, Ivana Lovrić, has been offered a position for a long time by HSP Presidency member Vinko Jakić, who in return is asking for a position for himself. Whether Lovrić will join Dodik's majority will be known on November 24, when the constitutive session of the NSRS is held.

Also, in the story about forming the new Government of Republika Srpska, Dodik has offers for SDA and HDZBiH in his plans. As we learn, he will offer two ministerial positions to the Party of Democratic Action, and one to HDZ. In return, he could ask for one or two positions in the Government of the Federation of BiH from partners from FBiH.

And judging by the statements made today to RTRS by HDZBiH leader Dragan Čović, Dodik is likely the new-old leader of the position in RS.

- We chose our partner from Republika Srpska ten days ago, and that is SNSD and the parties gathered around them - Čović stated for RTRS.

- This agreement we signed today is not in contradiction with anything we discussed with SNSD. This is just a basis, it's not even an agreement, but only the basic directions of our action, and I don't see any difference in relation to what we discussed with SNSD - Čović emphasized.

Čović says he is an advocate of the idea that authorities should first be formed at the entity level, and then at the BiH level.

- We need to be realistic because we have a group of parties from FBiH that has made an agreement with one group from RS and another with another. I am an advocate of the idea that we first form the government in the entities, and then negotiate the BiH level - Čović said.

However, as overnight turns are possible in politics, and there are still five days until the constitutive session, the possibility, although very small, is left that the Alliance for Change manages to "break" some deputies who are now with Dodik with their offers, and that they form the government, and that the SNSD leader, after eight years, goes into opposition.