SDA Main Board: International community and domestic actors to stop the implementation of the 'All-Serbian Assembly' declaration

(Patria) - The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) has submitted 15 conclusions to the media, adopted at today's regular session of the SDA Main Board in Sarajevo, which you can read below.

1. The SDA Main Board warns domestic and international actors about the implementation of the Declaration of the All-Serbian Assembly from June 2024. We demand that the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially the representatives of the 'Trojka' (the three-party coalition), more decisively oppose such endeavors.

This is a project to continue the aggression against BiH, aiming to institutionally, identitarily, and culturally annex 49 percent of BiH's territory to Serbia.

By organizing the 'All-Serbian Assembly' and adopting the declaration, which is a summary of earlier SANU memoranda, all manipulations by Aleksandar Vučić and his regime have finally been exposed. This is a continuation of the Greater Serbian project, an attempt to achieve dominance over other nations, and an attack on the sovereignty of countries that suffered armed aggression from Milošević's regime.

The adopted declaration is a direct attack on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Dayton Peace Agreement, and thus on stability and peace. No domestic or foreign officials can pretend any longer that they do not understand that the separatist policy of Milorad Dodik is backed by the political leadership of Serbia with the support of Russia.

The messages from Belgrade and the clear support from Moscow are also a warning to the US, Great Britain, and other powers that stand behind the Dayton Peace Agreement. It is clear that the goals of Greater Serbian policy cannot be achieved peacefully. Therefore, its creators must be stopped in time. The mistake of a delayed intervention against the regime of Milošević and Karadžić should not be repeated. This time too, the absence of a decisive and timely reaction could rapidly lead the entire region towards conflict and instability.

We task all SDA bodies and cadres to, as before, effectively oppose such policies and challenge all unconstitutional and anti-state laws through appeals to the Constitutional Court of BiH, but also to undertake all other legally permitted actions to stop the attack on the state.

2. The SDA Main Board emphasizes the importance of the United Nations Resolution declaring July 11th as the International Day of Remembrance of the Genocide in Srebrenica.

The UN General Assembly Resolution is a seal on the truth established by the judgments of the International Court of Justice and numerous judgments of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

It is particularly significant that the Resolution unequivocally condemns any denial of the Srebrenica genocide as a historical event and calls on member states to preserve the established facts through their educational systems and by developing appropriate programs.

The UN General Assembly also condemned the glorification of convicted perpetrators of genocide and other war crimes, which is a clear message to the current regime in Serbia and the RS entity, which continuously and systematically engage in such acts.

Instead of accepting historical and judicial truth, the ruling regimes in the RS entity and Serbia have intensified the denial of genocide and the glorification of war criminals, confirming that they have not abandoned aggressive genocidal policies. We call on the Serbian people not to follow the disastrous policies of their political leadership, which impose collective guilt for genocide upon them and lead them into new crises, blockades, and conflicts.

3. The SDA Main Board warns about the intensive armament of Serbia and Croatia, and the introduction of mandatory military service in these countries.

Considering the processes in neighboring countries, as well as the general situation in the world, Bosnia and Herzegovina must have an adequate response. This is also an obligation in accordance with Annex 1b of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Agreement on Sub-regional Arms Control signed in 1998 between the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The trend of neighboring countries rapidly arming themselves while the Armed Forces of BiH are systematically weakened is dangerous and unacceptable. Therefore, significant funds must be allocated in the next budget for the modernization and equipping of the Armed Forces of BiH. At the same time, the current government must urgently accelerate Bosnia and Herzegovina's path to NATO, an organization that represents a security umbrella for our country.


Photo: Patria

4. The SDA Main Board demands a more decisive reaction from the witnesses of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the Peace Implementation Council, and the OHR regarding the continuous attempts by the RS entity to create a legal framework for secession through the actions of the National Assembly of the RS.

Numerous activities are being carried out for this purpose at the political, social, cultural, sports, and media levels. With this goal in mind, unconstitutional laws are being passed, attempts are being made to introduce the coat of arms, flag, and anthem of Serbia into use, the name of Bosnia and Herzegovina is being attempted to be erased through the Law on the Implementation of Decisions of the Commission for the Preservation of National Monuments, decisions of state commissions are being re-examined by entity bodies, curricula are being harmonized, attempts are being made to ensure the presence of Serbian police in the RS entity, young people are announced to serve their military service in Serbia, state property and energy resources of BiH are being attempted to be appropriated, and in the general narrative, this entity is being portrayed as exclusively Serbian.

Such a policy by the ruling regime in the RS entity causes constant tensions, instability, and hinders the progress of the entire country.

5. The SDA Main Board condemns the constant threats and pressures on Bosniak returnees in the RS entity, which escalate every few months.

We demand that the High Representative Christian Schmidt finally show that he is the High Representative for all of Bosnia and Herzegovina, not just for the FBiH entity, and that he use his powers to urgently adopt measures that will improve the status and security of Bosniaks and Croats in the RS entity. The apartheid against Bosniaks and Croats in the RS entity is based on an unconstitutional national imbalance in the institutions of this entity, especially in the security sector, and the High Representative is obliged to react in accordance with his mandate.

6. The SDA Main Board calls on the ruling coalition to take responsibility, stop the blockades, and finally accelerate Bosnia and Herzegovina's European path. It is disappointing that the current government is unable to meet even the minimal conditions set by the European Commission for the start of negotiations. It is particularly concerning that the Council of Ministers has been unable to adopt the Reform Program for the Growth Plan for months, so that Bosnia and Herzegovina can receive the allocated funds amounting to two billion KM. The cancellation of the Summit of Western Balkan and EU Leaders in Neum due to a corruption scandal is an embarrassment that vividly describes the current government.

It is unacceptable that in the process of fulfilling the European Commission's conditions, secessionist policies of Milorad Dodik are being attempted to be adopted instead of European standards, especially regarding the Constitutional Court of BiH and the entity veto in decision-making.

Given that it is evident that the EU path of BiH is being blocked by the RS authorities, we ask the European Union not to punish the entire country for this. Therefore, we call on the European Commission to approve the Reform Program for the Growth Plan, with the condition that the disbursement of funds will only be possible once the Constitutional Court of BiH is filled and its decisions are implemented, and the entity veto in decision-making within the Competition Council and the State Aid Council is removed.

7. The SDA Main Board assesses that the Council of Ministers of BiH and the parliamentary majority at the state level have shown complete dysfunctionality, except in cases where it was necessary to fulfill the personnel and financial demands of SNSD and HDZ. These two parties completely control the processes in the country, while the subservient 'Trojka' assists them, justifying their catastrophic moves with supposed compromises, a narrative they no longer believe themselves.

An almost identical situation prevails in both houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.

The fact that the Council of Ministers has sent only seven laws to the parliamentary procedure out of the planned 58, and that only five were adopted in 2024, none of which are capital, best illustrates the inaction of the authorities.

8. The SDA Main Board warns that the Government of FBiH, with its irresponsible borrowing policy and extravagance, is jeopardizing the economic stability of FBiH.

Through continuous borrowing without a clear plan for the use of funds and transparency in their spending, with repayment terms that extend the loan maturity into the next mandate, the Government of FBiH is consciously endangering fiscal balance, reducing space for capital projects and social programs, and seriously jeopardizing the financial sustainability of FBiH in the coming years, as confirmed by warnings from the International Monetary Fund.

Despite inheriting a budget with a significant surplus and hundreds of millions of KM in the accounts of public enterprises, Nermin Nikšić's government has brought FBiH to the brink of economic collapse in less than half of its mandate. All key economic parameters, especially industrial production and exports, are declining, while on the other hand, the budget deficit, debt exceeding one billion KM, losses and debts of public enterprises, and the prices of food, electricity, and telecommunication services are increasing.

9. The SDA Main Board considers the slow and inadequate reaction of the Government of FBiH after the floods that hit Jablanica and several other municipalities in FBiH in October 2024 to be unacceptable.

Even two and a half months after the floods, the Government of FBiH has not been able to ensure the repair of parts of the railway line and thoroughly restore the damage to the M-17 highway, causing direct and indirect damages to the economy of FBiH measured in hundreds of millions of KM.

The reconstruction of damaged residential buildings has not yet begun, and the decisions made so far on the distribution of public funds to municipalities affected by the floods indicate the application of inconsistent criteria not based on suffered damages but on political interests.

Responsible individuals within institutions and relevant ministries must bear the consequences for their omissions.

10. The SDA Main Board points out that, despite constant promises and announcements, the Government of FBiH has not yet determined and submitted a set of fiscal laws to the parliamentary procedure that would reduce the burden on the economy and enable wage increases for employees.

Instead of fiscal laws, the Government has announced the adoption of a decree whose content is hidden from the public, which raises justified concerns among employers and workers. We demand that the Government of FBiH fulfill its promises and, as soon as possible, submit the announced set of fiscal laws to the procedure, instead of harmful transitional solutions.

11. The SDA Main Board demands that the authorities at the state level of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federation urgently submit the draft budgets for 2025 to the procedure.

We remind that all legal deadlines for budget adoption have already expired, and citizens and institutions are not receiving any explanation for such irresponsible behavior of the authorities towards basic obligations. It is unacceptable that at a time when we are facing serious economic challenges, rising cost of living, and stagnation in key investments, the authorities show no minimum responsibility and efficiency in planning the financing of institutions for the next year.


Photo: Patria

12. The SDA Main Board requests the Government of FBiH to, if it is unable to meet the legal criteria for pension increases, amend the existing criteria as soon as possible and enable pension increases in FBiH.

We also request that, instead of the humiliating amount distributed, pensioners be paid the requested one-time assistance to overcome the consequences of inflation.

13. The SDA Main Board welcomes the adoption of the Law on the Southern Gas Interconnection in the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH as an important step towards the energy security of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We expect the Law to be adopted in the House of Peoples of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH as well, and for the processes of concluding the intergovernmental agreement with the Republic of Croatia and preparations for the realization of this important infrastructure project to be accelerated.

The Southern Gas Interconnection represents a strategic national interest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a key segment of energy diversification and gas supply security, and the harmonization of our country with European standards and practices. This project is of great importance not only for economic development and stability but also for increasing energy efficiency and reducing dependence on existing sources.

The SDA Main Board emphasizes that any obstruction of this project, which is of vital importance for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of their ethnic or political affiliation, is unacceptable. Attempts to reduce the Southern Gas Interconnection to issues of inter-ethnic or even inter-religious relations, as some political representatives from the Croatian people are doing, are meaningless and harmful.

We call on all relevant institutions and political actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina to show responsibility and jointly contribute to the fastest possible realization of this project.

14. The SDA Main Board points out the need for urgent, comprehensive, and thorough reform of the judicial system in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Recent judicial epilogues in cases against the former Prime Minister of FBiH, Fadil Novalić, and the former Minister of Defense of BiH, Selma Cikotić, clearly indicate the abuse of the judicial system for political purposes. During these proceedings, officials from other political parties and nations were deliberately avoided from prosecution, among other things, which further eroded trust in the impartiality and professionalism of judicial institutions.

Evidence and information presented during court proceedings, which indicate serious violations of the rights of the accused to a fair trial, are particularly concerning. The dissenting opinion of judge Branko Perić, public statements by other participants in the proceedings, and the dissenting opinion of Constitutional Court judge Mirsad Ćeman further confirm the presence of unprofessional and biased actions within the judicial system.

The SDA Main Board demands more intensive work on reforming the judicial system in accordance with the requirements of the European Commission and the recommendations of the Venice Commission, in order to ensure its independence, professionalism, and transparency. The reform must establish a system of accountability for those who abuse judicial functions, while the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina deserve a judiciary that will protect their interests, not be a tool of political manipulation.

15. The SDA Main Board assesses that the Party achieved an exceptional electoral result in the recent Local Elections, thereby confirming its status as the strongest political organization in Bosnia and Herzegovina once again.

SDA is also the fastest-growing political party in the country, as evidenced by the continuous growth in the number of votes by about 27% in the Federation of BiH, while in some cantons this growth exceeded 40%.

With 35 mayoral positions and 588 councilor mandates won, SDA is by far the strongest political option in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the Federation of BiH, the Party won twice as many votes as the next party, and as many as 56,000 more votes than all the parties gathered around the 'Trojka' combined.

The growing support of citizens undeniably confirms the correctness of the policies pursued by SDA, as well as the trust in the people who implement them. We express particular satisfaction with the successful process of cadre rejuvenation, which has already been recognized and rewarded by voters.

The SDA Main Board extends sincere congratulations to all elected mayors and councilors from the ranks of SDA.