While the state is deaf, the KS Government allocated another 300,000 KM for five cultural institutions of state importance

SARAJevo, (Patria) - Good news for the end of the year has arrived for five cultural institutions of state importance, and the Ministry of Culture and Sports has allocated a total of 300,000 KM to these institutions.

The Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, Samir Avdić, today signed contracts for additional co-financing of five cultural institutions of importance to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The contracts were signed with representatives of the National Museum, the Historical Museum of BiH, the Art Gallery of BiH, the Museum of Literature and Theatre Arts of BiH, and the BiH Cinematheque, to which a total of 300,000 KM was allocated.

The National Museum received 95,000 KM, the Historical Museum of BiH 70,000 KM, the Art Gallery of BiH 65,000 KM, the Museum of Literature and Theatre Arts of BiH 50,000 KM, and the BiH Cinematheque 20,000 KM.

Minister Avdić emphasized that these are additional funds, given that in May of this year, the Ministry also allocated 300,000 KM for co-financing six cultural institutions of state importance.

“I would like to thank the KS Government for accepting my proposal and recognizing the needs these institutions have to ensure their smooth operation. With the signing of these contracts, we are ending this year in a good way,” said Minister Avdić.

Otherwise, these five institutions do not have a resolved legal status, and therefore no secured financing. Although most responsible, the Council of Ministers of BiH has not taken over the obligations arising from legally relevant facts relating to the legal continuity of the institutions of the former Republic of BiH, as determined by the provisions of Article 1 of Annex II to the Constitution of BiH. Therefore, neither the state nor the entities have ever fully taken care of these institutions. However, appreciating their importance, the KS Government has taken on the obligation to co-finance them until a final solution to their legal status is reached.

The Prime Minister Edin Forto also attended today's contract signing, and thanked Minister Avdić for taking care of the functioning of these institutions.

“For the umpteenth time, it is shown that Sarajevo Canton is filling the vacuum created by the state, not only when it comes to cultural institutions. We are trying to find a solution so that everything does not completely stop, because that is clearly the intention. Our fight continues, I hope that by the end of next year we will be working on a permanent solution to the status of these institutions,” said Prime Minister Forto.

Mirsad Sijarić, director of the National Museum of BiH, said that in 2021, they received funds from the cantonal and federal levels of government sufficient for approximately six months of operation.

“Unfortunately, the financing system has not changed yet, but we will try to somehow 'level out' the situation,” said Sijarić.

The funds for which the contract was signed today, as he explained, will be used for the regular activities of the museum and will be sufficient for one monthly salary for employees and some overhead costs.

“From the state level of government in the last three years, we have only received reduced assistance of 300,000 KM once. That is ridiculous, it is obvious that other solutions need to be sought,” said Sijarić.