Izetbegović: DF wanted to change the principle of power distribution after 20 years

A guest on the show Interview 20, hosted and moderated by Sanela Prašović-Gadžo, was a member of the BiH Presidency, Bakir Izetbegović, who stated that a new parliamentary majority will be formed in October, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

He also stated that the most important thing now is the stabilization of economic conditions and that the current economic situation is not dramatic.

- Imports will increase, exports will decrease slightly, and the coverage of exports by imports will be slightly more favorable by about five percent – said Izetbegović, without explaining how it is possible that despite the decrease in exports, the import coverage rate will still be favorable.

Speaking about the promise he made during his election campaign of 100,000 jobs, Izetbegović said that by the end of this year, that number will reach 10,000 employed persons, and that so far the number is over 7,000.

- Many will say, are we living any better? Among other things, prices are 0.9 percent lower for an average basket than last year. People do not feel that things have dramatically improved. We must do everything to make all parameters move twice as fast in the next three years.

When asked about the announcements by the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, about a referendum, as well as his other positions, Izetbegović said that he "hopes this is his last outburst, an attempt at disintegration".

- The international community must draw a red line and separate people into those who are doing everything to recover this country and the region, to follow the European path, to stabilize things, to guarantee peace, to move forward integratively, and those who work on disintegration, disorder, conflict, and to treat us in such a way – said Izetbegović.

He added that people in Republika Srpska live worse compared to the Federation of BiH.

- They sold their telecom, they are indebting themselves, they took loans and spent them, their large investments are not going well – said Izetbegović.

Parliamentary Majority

Speaking about the formation of a new parliamentary majority in the Federation of BiH, Izetbegović said that besides SDA, two less represented parties in Parliament, A-sda and SBiH, have joined.

- These are parties that once emerged from SDA. They have the same political agenda, the same goals, and rational behavior. They are welcome partners for us. We have made an agreement with them to act together. Just as HNS is not just HDZ BiH, but includes a number of parties. This gives us 34 deputies in the Federal Parliament. The relationship with DF at the level of KS, ZDK, and the state level is functioning quite well. It seems that it depends on personal solutions – said Izetbegović.

He also added that "DF will have to thank some people who caused problems in order to give a chance to those who are more rational and constructive, and cooperation with them will be possible in the future."

- What has been established for 20 years regarding the distribution of power, DF started to impose irrational principles on the more numerous and powerful parties in that coalition. It did not want to see the reality.

Speaking about the four SDA deputies in the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament, Šemsudin Mehmedović, Senad Šepić, Salko Sokolović, and Sadik Ahmetović, Izetbegović said that they invested themselves in SDA, they are deserving people who were not elected to the leadership this time.

- If it were up to me, if I could have orchestrated things, I would have had at least two of them in the leadership, and then I wouldn't have this problem. I think we need to open up prospects for these people, that they must not feel that they are crossed out, forgotten, that there is no prospect for them in future elections, or in the party to which they have dedicated themselves. I intend to work in that direction – said Izetbegović.

He also emphasized that in the distribution of power with new coalition partners, the position of the federal prime minister remains untouched.

- The federal prime minister is a breath of fresh air, a brave man who came from the real sector and knows the problems in the economy. Novalić is bravely focusing on the problem. The September protests that were announced did not happen thanks to Mr. Novalić – praised Izetbegović his prime minister.