Goražde: Serbs to Choose Bosniak Representatives or a Blockade of Ruling Crime?

(Patria) - The Assembly of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde was interrupted during a discussion on the dismissal of Deputy Speaker Edita Velić (DF), prompting the Serbian People's Club to request protection of vital national interest. After Speaker Daliborka Milović did not comply with the request of the majority from the Bosniak Club to vote on the proposal, as they believe it is not right to disregard the will of this club, the majority of deputies left the session. 

- I was shocked that the vital national interest of Serbs is the dismissal of a Bosniak from the leadership of the Assembly, who will be replaced by a Bosniak. We know that behind it all are attempts to form a new majority, but it is disgusting that three Serbs decide who will represent the majority people in Goražde. We supported their representative without hesitation. This is disgusting; you cannot make a decision and then say an explanation will be given later, said Senad Čeljo from the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina during the discussion.

The majority announced that they could hold a subsequent Assembly and vote for the dismissal. Those who remained claim that the vital national interest is the fight against crime. Nijaz Musić from SDA, who disagreed with his club, played a recording that allegedly proves this. In that recording, Edim Fejzić and Sejad Tatarin from Goraždanska priča are allegedly agreeing on an amount of money for appointments in the Ministry of Interior and the cantonal hospital. The recording mentions 30,000 KM for the Ministry of Interior and 20,000 KM for the hospital. 

During the session, Edita Velić claimed that she is being dismissed because she publicly spoke about crime and announced her own dismissal, as well as that of the Minister of Interior. 

-    This government is behaving unpatriotically, and the Prime Minister is leading the way; she bought a car for 90,000 marks, and then Belgrade, the Prime Minister knows what I am talking about.

The Prime Minister replied, stating that she is sorry she is not a deputy because she would know what to say. Instead, she focused only on accusations, calling on all those who accuse the government and her of illegalities to report everything to the competent institutions. As she stated, she has already done so in the case of the falsification of her messages, which were published as such in the media.

-    I am glad that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker have reconciled because my wish has always been to avoid conflicts in the Assembly, Obuća emphasized.

Šefik Bukalo from NBL noted that the incident of Daliborka Milović pulling a bottle on Edita Velić, whom she is now protecting with a vital national interest, has been forgotten. Both explained that this is a closed matter that had a judicial epilogue, and Velić received an apology from Milović. Bukalo was criticized for defending the majority because he employed his son.

SDP deputy Suad Došlo went a step further, claiming that the Assembly and the Government have been working illegally for two years because they were not constituted in accordance with procedures. He advocated for respecting the institution of vital national interest, for which he was told that in his previous term as Speaker of the Assembly, he signed the publication of a budget against which Daliborka Milović had initiated a vital national interest.

- Mr. Došlo, do you really think it is right for the Serbian club to block the appointment of Bosniak representatives, asked the president of the SDA club, Mirsad Žuga, who emphasized that the competent authorities should decide on the legality of all actions. He asked his colleague Musić not to represent the interests of SDA, where other deputies respect party agreements.

Speaker Daliborka Milović remained steadfast in her claim that she is not abusing the vital national interest with her action, especially since she did not receive an answer as to whether she would be dismissed from the position of Speaker after the election of a new Bosniak.

-    I have been in this Assembly for many years and have always fought to help everyone. Not to mention how I have always been a support in the House of Peoples for the grant needed for Goražde, said Milović.

While acknowledging that no one disputes her merits, the majority nevertheless maintained their stance that her move is disgusting, regardless of the fact that it was caused by an unsuccessful attempt for the Liberal Party to become part of the majority. They announced that they would hold a new session and dismiss the Deputy Speaker, citing the positions of the OHR, which in the case of Tuzla clearly stated that replacing a representative of one nation with another from the same nation does not constitute a violation of national interests. From the Assembly podium, dilemmas were also raised about the possible consequences for relations between DF and SDA throughout the entire Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.