Pandurević negotiated with Uk, while Šteta essentially leads the KS Government: Another resignation means the end of the "Trojka" government!

(Patria) - Jasmin Šaljić, a representative of the Party for BiH in the Sarajevo Canton (KS) Assembly, commented for the Novinska agencija Patria (NAP) on speculations about the resignation of the Minister of Communal Economy, Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection of KS, Mladen Pandurević.

Namely, a few days ago, information leaked to the media that Pandurević had verbally resigned from that position due to a verbal conflict at one of the KS Government sessions with the Minister of Transport, Adnan Šteta.

The conflict between them allegedly arose over the report on the work of Sarajevogas for 2024. At that time, Pandurević stated that he would resign.

However, there has been a turn of events in this case today. The Ministry he heads denied these media reports, stating that Pandurević remains in the position of minister.

After all, this should not surprise us, as Pandurević has mentioned his own resignation in his media appearances on several occasions, which he clearly does not intend to submit at all.

Šaljić tells us that all these speculations about Pandurević's resignation should be taken with a great deal of reservation for several reasons.

- Since his appointment four months ago, he has threatened to resign multiple times in the media and at Government sessions if the conditions and agreement he had to accept the position of Minister of Urbanism in the KS Government were not met - said Šaljić.

He explains that Pandurević is the fifth Minister of Urbanism in this convocation of the KS Government since 2023. The public became best acquainted with him through threats to seize citizens' property for forced debt collection.

- This Government could not politically survive his resignation (and disgrace) because it would completely lose credibility even among its own voter base, both Pandurević and others in the KS Assembly and Government know this well - Šaljić points out.

With the promise that he can solve the accumulated problems in the communal economy, which is on its last legs, Šaljić reminds that Pandurević set several conditions for the Prime Minister of KS, Nihad Uk, right at the start.

Among these were the urgent increase in prices of all communal services, significantly more money for his ministry in the distribution, hiring of advisors, and the replacement of several directors of institutions and companies.

- Problems arose regarding money and planned personnel changes that protect the political parties SDP and Narod i pravda (NiP). The cantonal treasury is empty, expenditures do not match revenues, while budget revenues are below all expectations and plans.

The priority is only to try to pay salaries, and everything else is secondary. The proposal to increase the price of communal services was determined back in 2023, but the current KS Government did not dare to present it to the public. And it was Pandurević who made the decision.

He chose, without any empathy, to absolve the current Government and cantonal companies of all responsibility for all losses, negligence, senseless hirings, failed personnel policy, mortgaged loans, unprecedented debt, and all the deep problems of the current authorities, and he is billing the citizens of Sarajevo Canton for it.

Of course, through the increase in prices of all communal services - from water distribution, waste disposal, heating, transport, and even services at Pokop -

When he negotiated to accept the position, it seems Pandurević did not know who actually leads the Canton and who decides on priorities, distribution, and money flows.

Because, if he had known, he certainly would not have negotiated with Uk, but with Šteta, the cantonal leadership of NiP, and assembly defectors - Šaljić said in a statement to NAP.

(D.K.)