Mektić: Dodik cuts ribbons in Serbia, while youth flee the country to survive

Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragan Mektić held a press conference today on several topics, including the relationship between the government and the opposition in Republika Srpska, the engagement of police in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, the Minister of Internal Affairs of RS Dragan Lukač, and the state of RS, reports Patria News Agency.

- Here, the opposition, SDS, the Alliance for Changes, has clearly expressed its stance, in a democratic way, a kind of rebellion and protest because the opposition's demands are not being respected. Why is the audit report, which explains the budget deficit, not being discussed, why are the decisions made by the National Assembly of Republika Srpska not being published in the Official Gazette - Mektić asks.

He also raised the question of how it is possible that the RS Government does not respond to a member of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska for months.

- I wanted to ask what the Macedonian scenario is, what is wrong with it. I am in favor of the Macedonian scenario in RS, and I was with Zoran Zaev before, I talked to him about what the Macedonian scenario is. The people happened, they came before the assembly in Skopje, they exerted pressure to appoint a mandate holder. I don't see any problem with the Macedonian scenario, democracy won, a government was established in a civilized and democratic way. After that, they solve strategic issues in European integration. Let us also have such a scenario, let's solve the problem of collapse, youth fleeing, deficit... Here, youth must flee the country to survive.

Give us a 'God's scenario', let democracy, development, civilized behavior, the fight against crime, corruption, and the plunder of our own people win here. Give us any scenario you want. For me, the Macedonian scenario is equal to democracy," Mektić said.

He raised the question of what the problem with excise taxes is.

- Who advocates for excise taxes, the current Government of RS and Lars-Gunnar Wigemark. Do excise taxes benefit our citizens? How will they benefit when we have collected eight billion so far, and we don't have kilometers of roads. The President of RS opens highways in Serbia, cuts ribbons, while his own people are left with the road to Western Europe to work there, in construction, as waiters... Come here, Mr. President, and cut a ribbon, there isn't one, shame and disgrace - said Mektić.

Mektić also compared the two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina today, Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH.

- In the FBiH, railway workers are not on strike, healthcare workers' obligations, salaries, and contributions are paid. In the Federation, there are three cardiac surgery centers, while there are none in RS; our patients go to the FBiH to have surgery. In the FBiH, pensions are on average 100 to 150 marks higher. In the FBiH, they have not sold their telecommunications companies, and all the resources that have been sold here. We are becoming hired laborers in our own country - said Mektić.

- When they need to divert attention from basic existential issues, they invent the issue of NATO, military neutrality. NATO defined SNSD in 2007. What is the problem now? What should we do now? Let SNSD examine itself within its own ranks. We ask you, if at all possible, as soon as possible, at any cost, let us join NATO, Radmanović wrote in 2009 - said Mektić.

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