Okerić and Čičić warn of consequences of abolishing weight 2 for Sarajevo Canton

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Abolishing weight II means taking away about 90 million KM in the first year, and 20 million KM each in the following two years from Sarajevo Canton. Such political punishment by a show of hands, without analysis, will affect the veteran population, employees in education, and the police. The real sector will consequently suffer as well," said Elvedin Okerić, Chairman of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, today.

Sarajevo Canton pays twice as much in taxes as the Republika Srpska, and 57.64% more than the total payments in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is why the story about the unfair allocation of funds to Sarajevo Canton through 'weight II' is unfounded, the Assembly and Government of Sarajevo Canton stated.

The press conference was also attended by representatives of several trade unions who warned that they are ready to take to the streets. The proposal, which is on the two-day session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, if adopted, would put Sarajevo Canton in an unfavorable position, i.e., cause millions in budget losses.

Minister of Finance of Sarajevo Canton Davor Čičić denies that weight 2 is a reward for Sarajevo Canton, and that with such a distribution of funds, a resident of Sarajevo Canton is worth twice as much as a resident elsewhere in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"At this moment, as a citizen of Sarajevo, I cannot accept the fact that Sarajevo Canton is taking anything away from anyone. Sarajevo Canton already gives between 80 and 90 million KM to other cantons, and participates in the attempt for balanced development of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Čičić, adding that the law should be changed, but based on economic parameters that can be calculated.

Čičić called for this agenda item to be removed and for a better solution to this law to be proposed.

"The division between entities is done based on final consumption. But in the last 12 years, no adjustment has been made. Every year, the Republika Srpska receives between 400 and 500 million more," says the Minister of Finance of Sarajevo Canton.

From the Union of Primary Education of Sarajevo Canton, they say that those who support such a legal solution will be responsible if civil unrest occurs. First of all, they say, they mean representatives of political entities who have delegates and deputies in the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"And let them not say in a month, two, three, or five, when the worst happens, social unrest, that they are not to blame. I remember May when I was in front of the Government of Sarajevo Canton when I announced a series of protests that ended in 2014, God forbid it happens again, with the burning of institutions," said Saudin Sivro from the Union of Primary Education of Sarajevo Canton.

Sivro urged parliamentarians not to allow citizens and peoples to be pitted against each other.

"You will make us in the unions even more united. Do not think that this union will stop and cease to demand better wages. In Sarajevo Canton, teachers are the only ones with lower salaries than the cantonal average," said Sivro.