Kasumović: If Izetbegović hadn't approved the IMF loan, there would have been a dismissal of Dodik instead of a referendum

If SDA President Bakir Izetbegović hadn't approved the IMF loan in late July in Istočno Sarajevo, today instead of a referendum in Republika Srpska, there would have been mass demonstrations and the dismissal of Dodik's government, because the authorities would not have been able to pay salaries to budget users – believes economic analyst and former Deputy Minister of Finance, Fuad Kasumović.

In a statement to Patria, he said that the policy of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), of which he is a former high-ranking official, is unclear to him.

Kasumović says that the SDA presents itself as the sole protector of the state, and then the party president revives Dodik, the biggest destroyer of BiH, with an IMF loan.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has borrowed an additional 1.1 billion KM. The first tranche, amounting to slightly more than 150 million KM, will most likely be paid to the entities tomorrow.

- Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from both BiH entities, gain nothing from the IMF loan, except for new debt that they and their children will repay. The IMF, like other financial institutions, has huge funds that they must place somewhere. This loan is falsely called an agreement, or something else, but it is actually a classic loan that must be repaid – says Kasumović, adding that he begged some people from the IMF that if they wanted to help BiH, it would be better to extend the repayment period for BiH's current debt to them, instead of providing new loans.

- That would be real help for BiH – believes Kasumović.

- The new borrowing from the IMF will be spent in the pre-election campaign, for buying votes. Citizens in Sarajevo, Zenica, Banja Luka, Mostar, Tuzla... will have no benefit, and they will have new debt. The IMF loan is spent on huge salaries for parliamentarians, the loan is taken so that the authorities can drive expensive cars, have drivers and secretaries – warns Kasumović.

Kasumović reminded that the authorities announced a reform, which included reducing public spending, public administration, and reducing debt, but this has not happened to date. Instead of reducing spending on administration, public spending has increased or remained the same, writes Patria.