SDP: Submitting EU membership application is a marketing trick by the authorities

At the session of the Main Board of the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina, members discussed the current political situation in our country, with special reference to the increasingly frequent disputes over the date of BiH's application for membership in the European Union, which were assessed as completely unserious, the SDP announced, as reported by the Patria news agency. 

Members of the Main Board believe that submitting the application at this moment can only be a marketing trick by the current ruling coalition at the state level, because not a single condition for its serious consideration has been met. Submitting the application should not be conditioned by specific deadlines, but by fulfilling the conditions required by the EU, which are, primarily, the final adaptation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, but not to the detriment of domestic farmers, and the establishment of a coordination mechanism.

The session also discussed the announced amendments to the Labour Law of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and with the new amendments, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina plans to completely abolish length of service pay, ban strikes, abolish social dialogue, making the collective agreement pointless, meaningless and unnecessary, while employers and unions completely lose their purpose, because the government itself will make all decisions. The SDP continues to support the agreement between the Union of Independent Trade Unions of BiH and the Employers' Association on the minimum wage of 406 KM, as this protects the dignity and rights of workers. The SDP will provide additional support to workers and unions through parliamentary seats and will explicitly oppose the newly announced amendments to the Labour Law of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The ruling structure in the Republic of Srpska, by adopting the Labour Law, proves that it is not at all interested in the views of workers and citizens of this BiH entity, but only in aligning positions with the IMF. Members of the Main Board believe that the adoption of the Law on Police and Internal Affairs of the RS, which regulates public gatherings, represents a new mechanism for protecting the ruling party from the dissatisfaction of workers and citizens. The adoption of such laws, where representatives of citizens, when trying to participate in their adoption and express their opinion, are physically removed from institutions, leads to increasing social inequality and the creation of a dictatorial elite.

Regarding the increasingly frequent political and media pressures on the work of judicial authorities in our country, the Main Board believes that an independent, professional and decisive judiciary is what the SDP BiH has always advocated for and will remain persistent in those efforts, because only in this way can citizens' trust in the institutions of the rule of law be restored.

The members also supported the establishment of the Court of Honour of the SDP BiH, whose members are Alija Behmen, Karlo Filipović, Mira Grgić, Krsto Stjepanović, Selim Bešlagić, Nada Mladina, Zoran Mikulić, Mirsad Dupovac, Slavko Dragičević and Miladin Vidaković.

At the session, the Election Headquarters for the upcoming local elections was appointed, headed by President Nermin Nikšić, while Mira Grgić was appointed as the new president of the Central Election Commission of the SDP. Decisions were also made on the formation of the Statute Committee, as well as the Council for Development of SDP BiH, the Council for Economic Development and the Council for Local Self-Government, the statement said.