SBiH Presidency: Dangerous and unacceptable trend of neighboring countries rapidly arming themselves, violating the Dayton Agreement

(Patria) - The Presidency of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina (SBiH) held its 24th regular session in Sarajevo yesterday, discussing the current political situation in the country and the party's activities during the election campaign for the Local Elections.

The following conclusions were reached:

1. The SBiH Presidency assessed that the ruling structure at the state and federal levels has trampled on the dignity of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, humiliating the country before other regional leaders.

Such a government approach results in citizens' anxiety for the future of the country and new generations. There is evident stagnation in EU integration, reforms, a growing public debt, and increased corruption. The treatment of healthcare is shameful; workers and pensioners are living worse and worse, while young people have been deprived of any prospects. The current situation is a result of negligence, lack of strategy, vision, and planning by the current authorities. Conversely, all efforts should be directed towards raising workers' standards, increasing the minimum and average wage through economic relief, building infrastructure, and adopting necessary reforms.

2. Bosnia and Herzegovina must focus more on the integration process towards NATO to become part of a supranational security organization and thus successfully counter security challenges. The trend of neighboring countries rapidly arming themselves is dangerous and unacceptable, violating the Dayton Agreement which specifies the balancing of armed forces of Croatia, Serbia, BiH, and Montenegro. Instead of increasing the budget for the Armed Forces of BiH, which are currently being weakened in every possible way, Minister Helez allowed 30 million KM from the budget for the modernization of the Armed Forces of BiH and better soldier standards to lapse.

3. The SBiH Presidency determined the party's priorities and guidelines for action related to the continuation of the campaign. The party presidency is requesting direct communication from municipal councils with citizens, presenting them with the party's work policy, which will primarily be reflected in the fight for the state and its institutions.
Full support was once again given to the candidacies of all party members running independently or in coalition with other political parties.

The Party for BiH is participating in elections in 54 cities or municipalities, including 10 cities, mostly in RS, with other political parties. Nine candidates for mayors or city mayors have been nominated in Novi Grad, Novo Sarajevo, Tuzla, Čelić, Sapna, Bugojno, Fojnica, Vareš, and Ustikolina, and indirectly in Brčko District and Mostar. The Presidency emphasizes the importance of responsible action in a time of difficult decisions and an even harder fight for the interests of all citizens of BiH.

4. The anti-Dayton and anti-civilization activities of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the BiH entity RS, which has introduced content into the primary school curricula that glorifies war criminals, are unacceptable. We call on the High Representative in BiH to immediately, in accordance with his powers, make a decision to ban the use of curricula that glorify war criminals Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić and deny the verdicts of the Constitutional Court of BiH regarding January 9th as the Day of RS. The main task of the High Representative is to prevent the undermining of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

We also call on judicial institutions to take all measures in accordance with the law, their mandate, and obligations. Above all, the BiH Prosecutor's Office is obliged to react and sanction those responsible for undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement, endangering peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The absence of a clear, concrete, and decisive reaction could produce negative consequences for the state and the region.