NIKŠIĆ ADMITS OWN INCOMPETENCE Unraveling a Gordian knot that should never have been tied, economic undermining of BiH on the scene

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

It will be exactly a month and a half tomorrow since devastating floods hit Jablanica and Konjic. The situation, or rather the state of affairs on the ground, best speaks of the incompetence of the FBiH Government, headed by Nermin Nikšić (SDP). The residents of Donja Jablanica also bear witness to this, and the banner ‘Shame of the state and the FBiH Government’ best illustrates the real agony.

The rehabilitation of the railway is a special story in all of this, undoubtedly an act of treason in terms of the economic undermining of the state! But, we are used to the judiciary in BiH working with delays. We don't have timely cases; it's justice with delayed effect when the damage has already occurred.

Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić (if he truly is, as rumors in the corridors suggest that Elvedin Grabovica and others call the shots) promised that the FBiH Government would cut this Gordian knot at the next session!?

The FBiH Government session is tomorrow in Mostar, but it is important to recall that the knot was tied by the Government itself! It is logical, then, for them to untie it, but the real question is why they tied it in the first place?

- The truth is always somewhere in the middle, and responsibility lies with all of us. The FBiH Government will cut this Gordian knot at the next session. And this is a consequence of the system we live in, where we all threaten each other with reports, so people hesitate to take initiative and responsibility.

Of course, I do not support such public statements from ministers, directors, or any public figure, as I see no purpose in them, other than personal evasion of responsibility and shifting responsibility onto someone else. I will tell everyone what I have to say at the Government session, and the Government will make a decision, and then we will see who is ready to roll up their sleeves – Nikšić recently told Avaz after the press conferences of Edin Forto and Enis Džafić.

And how did the knot even come about?

For reasons known only to them, the FBiH Government, on October 16, passed a conclusion excluding FBiH Railways from the rehabilitation process, and authorized Highways FBiH to carry out the rehabilitation of rail traffic in addition to road traffic!?!

"Highways FBiH are tasked with, in cooperation with international financial institutions within already approved credit arrangements, checking the availability of funds for the rehabilitation of road and rail infrastructure to be carried out as soon as possible," is the conclusion adopted by the FBiH Government.

This conclusion tied the hands of FBiH Railways. And so, for almost a month and a half, they have been waiting for an answer, but what came from Highways (which was logical) was ignored by the responsible minister Andrijana Katić (HDZ).

The answer from Highways FBiH has not yet been presented at the FBiH Government session.

Namely, Highways FBiH states that they should not be directly or indirectly involved in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged part of the infrastructure, primarily because the engagement of JP Highways FBiH in the same works would constitute a violation of the provisions of the Road Law, primarily Article 13, Paragraph 1.

"We propose that the Ministry and the FBiH Government consider other options for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged part of the infrastructure in accordance with the FBiH Road Law and the FBiH Railways Law.

And so, Nikšić and the FBiH Government will untie the knot by likely obliging FBiH Railways to carry out the rehabilitation in accordance with the FBiH Railways Law.
The talk about the system by which Nikšić defends himself is nothing more than a public admission of his own inability to step outside the framework of his mandate, which will still be in accordance with the law. Because it sounds unbelievable that they are writing letters and blaming the system while the economy is collapsing.

Among the most affected companies are GIKIL, Adriatic Metals, Arcelor Mittal, Alternativa, Soda Lukavac, and Bimal, i.e., companies located in cantons or parts of BiH with a majority Bosniak population.

The FBiH Government was not spurred into action even by the data from the Public Enterprise FBiH Railways, according to which their daily damage due to the blockade of railway traffic is as high as KM 280,000.