Novalić: Electricity prices must not increase for the public; for the first time, the head of EP is someone not from the energy sector

(Patria) - Fadil Novalić, former Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH and current MP in the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament, was a guest on BHT's Jutro za sve, where he spoke about the announced electricity price increase, but also about the work of the FBiH Government.

"We should not increase electricity prices for the public yet. Our citizens have the right to cheap electricity. We can compensate for this from our economy and exports. We did this through the export economy. When the electricity price was lower, we bought coal. For eight years, the public did not hear that we had a problem. Now, suddenly there is a problem. It's foolish that there wasn't so much of it, and then it exists for eight months. We managed it correctly," said Novalić.

He confirmed that electricity prices have increased for businesses, and it was Aner Žuljević and Elmedin Konaković who proposed the law.

"We only respected the adopted law, which states a 20 percent increase for businesses. The main consumption of electricity goes to households, and that is the main thing, that it does not increase. Either businesses pay more or you export more electricity. We worked on exports. They just need to have more coal. They stopped that, and now they say they have to do it too. And now we have a problem in an unbalanced situation in these three categories," said Novalić.

He added that more than 322 million KM remained on the EP account when they left.

"Call the former and current directors and the former and current ministers, and everything will be clear to you," pointed out Novalić.

The problem we have arose due to a mistake, and someone must be blamed for it.

"For the first time, we have a person who is not within EP. The director has always been someone who lives it. No one claims that the current director is incapable, but he is not competent. He needs time," added Novalić, specifying that all services will increase in price if businesses face higher electricity costs.

Novalić also commented on the announcement by Minister of Trade Vojin Mijatović that the minimum wage will be 1000 KM.

"This is an economic, not a political issue. Mijatović said something that sounds good to people's ears, but it is a consequence of the budget. This year, the next step in the plan should have been taken, but the Government failed to do it. The minimum wage has never kept pace with the consumer basket. This is some artificial struggle," said Novalić.

Commenting on the introduction of a non-working Sunday, Novalić emphasized that this should be left to employers, but with the condition that the Labor Law must be respected in a way that workers are not exploited, as they must have free time.

He reiterated that the current FBiH Government is imposed and that he is monitoring its work.

"We have 37 extraordinary sessions, which is an escalation of the situation in itself. We parliamentarians do not have the opportunity to follow the work in a structured way. I see the work on laws, seven in total, five returned and recycled back," said Novalić, adding that he is not satisfied.

He could not evaluate himself either, asking economic experts to evaluate him.

"I am only frustrated that we did not manage to adopt the fiscal laws, I did not have a majority," said Novalić.

He also pointed out that he did not receive any orders from the SDA headquarters for eight years.

"I am too independent to listen to others," added Novalić.

He also touched upon the 'Respirator' case, saying that it was all staged. He did not attend the verdict announcement because he is not legally obliged to do so.

He stated that he should be acquitted, but he does not know what will happen.

"Civil Protection bought the respirators, there were hundreds of messages, I sent them all to the Public Health Institute," said Novalić.