Melank: Minister Dujmović is working against cultural institutions in BiH

SARAJEVO, (Patria) A Member of the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament today criticized the Ministry of Culture and Sports' approach to BiH's cultural institutions. Her statement is presented in full.

The Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports, since Minister Zora Dujmović took charge, has not been allocating funds from transfers for cultural institutions of importance to BiH in accordance with the decisions and conclusions of the FBiH Government. These decisions specifically state that the amount of 600,000 KM should be set aside exclusively for the financing of three cultural institutions - the Art Gallery of BiH, the Historical Museum of BiH, and the Museum of Literature and Theatre Arts.

The same applies to 800,000 KM intended for four other cultural institutions from the budget of the Ministry of Science and Education, which does not have a minister. The National Museum, the BiH Cinematheque, the National and University Library of BiH, and the Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired of BiH have thus been left without funds from the state budget and without those from the federal treasury this year.

A public call for these funds, which are specifically designated for these seven most important cultural institutions not only for the state but for every citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, cannot be published.

There has been a redistribution of these funds to other institutions that were not designated as institutions of importance for BiH, based on the subjective decision of the members of the Commission for the Allocation of Funds. Given that financing is significantly threatened, especially for the Art Gallery of BiH, which lacks funds even for employee salaries, I have submitted an initiative for urgent action according to the Government's decision from 2013 and for the funds to be transferred to them!

It has always been possible to allocate these funds, especially this year, given that the federal treasury is fuller than predicted. Therefore, it is a conscious effort to hinder. Is it due to anti-state sentiments, ignorance, or a misallocation of priorities? Most likely, a bit of all of that.