Salkić: Enormous increase in the RS MUP budget, full-scale militarization

(Patria) - Ramiz Salkić, a deputy in the RS National Assembly, reacting to increased allocations for the RS entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs, which continued during the adoption of the RS budget for 2024, stated that the separatist aspirations of the RS entity authorities are accompanied by enormously increased investments in strengthening the capacities of the entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

"An analysis of the budget increase of the RS entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs over the past ten years shows that the separatist aspirations of the RS entity authorities are accompanied by enormously increased investments in strengthening the capacities of the entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

These figures best refute all those who have been convincing us all these years that what entity president Dodik advocates in the public space does not pose any threat but is mere politicking and pre-election rhetoric. Over the past ten years, the budget of the entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs has increased from 157,756,000 KM in 2014 to 290,412,200 KM planned for 2024.

We are witnessing an increase in the budget of the entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs by 132,656,200 KM over the past ten years. The largest amount of funds from this enormous increase in the RS entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs budget has been invested in the procurement of facilities and equipment, and for expenditures on supplies of materials, goods, and small inventory, packaging, etc.

In the last five years alone, including the plan for 2024, 90,375,500 KM has been spent and planned for these purposes. Of this amount, 74,692,500 KM has been invested in the procurement of facilities and equipment for the needs of the entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

While 15,683,000 KM has been invested in supplies of materials, goods, and small inventory, packaging, etc., over the past five years, including the plan for 2024. In the budget of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs for 2021, 26,884,600 KM was spent on these two items, which fully aligns with the intensified separatist aspirations proclaimed and advocated by the entity president, and which are followed by the Government and the majority of national deputies in the NSRS.

Such an increase in the budget and the purposes for which it is spent should have been an alarm for those responsible for security long ago, because it is more than clear here that this is a militarization of the RS entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs. This could pose a serious threat in the future, considering the separatist policy advocated and implemented by the entity president, who has absolute control over the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the entire Government and a large portion of national deputies who unreservedly carry out his orders.

If we add to all this the fact that out of about 7,000 employees, around 94% are of Serbian nationality, which contradicts the constitutional and legal provisions on proportional representation, the question of what the RS entity's Ministry of Internal Affairs is preparing for in the future is further raised.

In addition to these facts, we should never lose sight of the fact that this Ministry proudly marks anniversaries and maintains continuity with the actions of the police, which has been convicted for its parts participating in the genocide against Bosniak Muslims, residents of the UN "safe zone" of Srebrenica, and other crimes throughout this entity for which there are relevant judgments," said Salkić.