Šarović: Dodik has weakened RS, he sustains himself with loans from those he attacks today

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - SDS President Mirko Šarović was a guest on the show Dan uživo where he stated that the BiH Presidency member and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik and the ruling coalition have "underestimated the dangers they are leading us into in the coming period" and that the Republika Srpska entity is at a crossroads.

At the 24th special session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, a Declaration on Constitutional Principles and four information papers with conclusions on the transfer of competencies from the BiH level to the entity level were adopted. Šarović told us that this is likely a stalling tactic, and it is evident from everything that the period of these intentions expressed by Dodik has been extended to six months, until summer, and that this is the time when the election campaign begins. He stated that the assessment of SDS, as well as the rest of the opposition, is that this concept will lead to a deep crisis before the elections.

"This period is also for sending a message to the voters, the message is 'elections are now, I am seeking your support, so that this option that will return competencies to you wins, but you need to give me your trust'. I call it a perfidious plan in which these steps are foreseen," said Šarović.

BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik again had the main say in the NSRS, having 60 minutes for an address which Šarović defined as a "confusing speech", and that he also had another 60 minutes later in the session, and the opposition did not even have the opportunity for a rebuttal.

"It was a confusing speech, I think there were many ambiguities, and that is part of the tactic that the document can be interpreted in one way or another. Nothing was offered that would break the fog in the months ahead. I said that both Dodik and the ruling coalition have underestimated the dangers they are leading us into in the coming period and that RS is at a crossroads," commented Šarović.

Šarović also commented for N1 on Dodik's statement that if Germany imposes sanctions, RS will retaliate in kind.

"I think that we, as Republika Srpska, have become a case, which is a shame and bad. It has never worked out well for us, so I don't think that threat to America, Germany, holds water. We are a small, poor country with limited possibilities and resources, our economy is weak, we live on German aid and loans we take from them. We cannot support ourselves, we do not earn enough money, so it seems ridiculous to me to make such threats," he said.

Šarović believes that Dodik should have spoken to the public about the transfer of competencies.

"I said that, first of all, it is honest to the citizens, viewers, and the public to say that it is precisely this government, to the greatest extent, but not only them, that has transferred most competencies – whether through voting in the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, or with the consent of the NSRS, that they have been transferred under pressure from major powers, and some have been transferred by decisions of the High Representative and again confirmed by the votes of our MPs in Parliament. That is what Dodik should have said: yes, 15 years ago we made a mistake, we were under pressure, now we want to reverse it. Citizens, you will face this and that, and it will cost us so much, I want to tell you the truth and if you want, follow me. I think he is leading us down a path that leads nowhere and where there is nothing, and that is what we wanted – to open the citizens' eyes," stated Mirko Šarović for N1.

He also spoke about the meetings between the opposition from RS and the coalition of three parties from the Federation of BiH, saying that last time they discussed the Election Law and that it cannot be passed without the votes of the opposition.

"I don't know if our agreement will be sufficient for changes to the election legislation, but I am skeptical," stated Šarović.

"We talked with SNSD about removing the national prefix. We see that Dodik has abruptly abandoned that, he did not inform us, and now he is repeating the old new matrix, and probably after other agreements, he is returning to the beginning, which means no implementation of the Sejdić and Finci ruling. He also came out with the idea that postal voting should be abolished, which made us laugh. And the second thing he said is unbelievable, namely that the mandate should belong to the parties. A man who has 10 or 11 MPs whom he bought... He will easily sell that story to the public and he knows that those changes will not happen," stated Šarović.