Battle for Banja Luka's budget continues, tensions interrupt Assembly session

The session of the Banja Luka City Assembly has been adjourned and will continue tomorrow at 10 AM, said Assembly President Mladen Ilić.

The sticking point is the amendments submitted by the majority in the City Assembly, which Mayor Draško Stanivuković claims were not submitted on time.

Mayor Draško Stanivuković says he stands by his position.

- Article 159 of the Rules of Procedure states that amendments must be submitted at least two working days before the session. The stamps on the documents prove they were submitted on Saturday – he said, adding that this shows the Rules of Procedure were not followed.

He said he would not allow amendments that are not in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and the law to be presented at the Assembly.

- I will defend this with my body, I will not allow it, I will act according to God's justice, I swear my life. My uncle gave his life for this city. May you have a child and may they treat you like this. We lost many lives, you know I don't take a salary, you know I will build three parks with my own money. Amendments like these, outside of the rules and the law, cannot be accepted – this is only part of what the mayor told his political opponents.

On the other hand, Ilić says this showed that there were no conditions for holding the session.

– I hope the tensions will calm down by tomorrow. You saw that we had to have frequent breaks, and we do not have the necessary level of democracy to hold such a session – Ilić stated.

As reported by the portal banjaluka.24-com, several members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republika Srpska arrived at the Banja Luka City Administration.