Former soldiers send a message: Resolution or revolution

14:20

Organizers of the public demonstrations of former soldiers of BH Army and HVO invited the crowd of protesters to leave in peace, and set the deadline of 7 days for adoption of Resolution and resignation of Salko Bukvarevic, Minister of soldiers and invalids of liberation war. Should that fail to happen, protests would be organized again.

Several thousands of former soldiers from all over BiH gathered in front of the government building to appeal for their rights and status that belongs to them as soldiers of Army of RbiH and HVO.

13:50

Delegation that entered the government building for negotiations, came before the crowd after a little over an hour and informed that they failed to reach an agreement.

Murat Silajdzija, coordinator of Council of soldiers of Middle Bosnian Canton called upon associations of soldiers from Tuzla canton and said 'they should be ashamed of themselves'.

- They call us informal groups and we are honorable sons of Republic BiH. We are staying here, and requesting support of 10 cantons. We have to prove with dignity that we are not walking bombs as they refer to us.

- They sent to us a Working group, it is cold, we are living 1992 again instead of offering concrete solutions, they are talking about additional 20 years so we can just vanish. They can take me away only in a coffin, said Silajdzija.

The protesters repeatedly requested resignation of Minister Salko Bukvarevic, already referring to him as 'former'.

- He is the minister of political oligarchy, and that is SDA and SBB, they are to blame for us being here today. We can't even get a cup of tea and they get 5.000 KM each.

One could hear threats that soldiers' associations will block the entire FBiH unless Resolution is urgently submitted for parliamentary procedure.

Some were saying that this is no longer their government and that they are considering leaving Sarajevo and BiH.

Representatives of the 5th Army Corps announced a complete blockade of border crossing Izacic as soon as they return to Bihac with a message 'resolution of revolution'.

Nevertheless all the speakers called for dignity and peaceful protests yet noting that the government may expect them to change the tone.