Nikšić: DF must decide if it is in power or opposition

The current president of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the candidates for the election of the new party president Nermin Nikšić, in an interview for the supplement Sedmica of Dnevni avaz, commented on the current political situation and the position of the Democratic Front in the FBiH, reports the BH News Agency Patria.

Nikšić stated that he had a clear stance when the government was constituted that the DF was a constructive mistake in the government with the HDZ.

- And that proved to be true. I can understand the reasons why the DF remains in power at the state level and in some cantons; it could be an attempt to influence the implementation of certain policies. It was unnatural that they couldn't even last the first 100 days and that it fell apart. However, this was expected, although not in such a short period. SDA and HDZ are a well-coordinated team and know what they want, and anyone else who appears there will have trouble finding their way.

He said that he believes that the DF's current position, i.e., acting as the opposition at one level and in power at another, is quite difficult to defend.

- I think that after their congress, this will have to be clearly defined and stated what and how they intend to proceed – Nikšić said.

Nikšić also referred to the former president of SDP BiH Zlatko Lagumdžija, stating that he was the president during a significant period that marked the work, ups, and downs of the SDP.

- I am aware of this burden and the talk about how Zlatko will manage the SDP through me. As a man who leads a council in the SDP and a member of the Main Board, he has his place and role in the party, but it is quite certain that someone else is now the president and that he does not have a decisive role in the decisions of the SDP leadership. Whoever is elected leader will have their mandate, which will be drawn directly from the membership, and it would be illusory for anyone to allow someone to achieve other goals through them – says Nikšić.

When asked what he would specifically do if re-elected as president of the SDP, Nikšić said that, as before, he would very clearly articulate, through the opposition bloc, what must be the interest of the citizens.

- We showed that with the Labor Law. Despite pressure to shift responsibility to the opposition. I think it is unprecedented to have a government that does not have parliamentary support, which comes to Parliament with the attitude: „Let's see who dares to oppose this“, and seeks the opposition's support for laws they do not intend to implement, but in this way, it ensures the legitimacy to occupy public assets. The situation where we have a minority government without parliamentary support is unsustainable – says Nikšić.

He believes that the only solution is for all political parties to opt for changes to the Election Law to ensure that early elections can be held, and then to express their readiness to discuss the formation of some concentration governments that would have two tasks: to implement reforms on the European path and to hold general elections together with local ones.