THE TERM WAS FULL OF CHALLENGES, IN THE END THE TEAM WORK LED TO POSITIVE RESULTS
We have understood this on time and I am proud that we have managed to ensure the stability of the institutions hence stable institutions are the precondition for defending the competences of the Republic of Srpska, raising the salaries and pensions, building up and introducing new social rights ... After heavy times and difficult financial situation, we have come to a point that this year BAM 125 million are in projects circulation across the Republic.
Reporter: Tatjana Paradjina
BANJA LUKA, 30 SEPTEMBER 2018 /SRNA/ - Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska Zeljka Cvijanovic says her mandate was full of challenges – started with bad finances, floods that took away the entire annual budget, problems with the IMF tranches and the transfer of funds from Sarajevo but the worst and the most painful of all were the attacks of the opposition targeting the Republic of Srpska institutions and its citzens in order to hinder its functioning.
In an interview with SRNA, Prime Minister Cvijanovic points to the fact that was very disappointing for all citizens primarily referring to the attempts of the opposition to block the work of the National Assembly, several times in a very ugly manner, using whistles and even pulling off microphones.
CONSTANT ATTACKS ON THE INSTITUTIONS AIMED AT THEIR DESTABILIZATION
"We understood this on time and I am proud that we have managed to ensure the stability of institutions since stable institutions are the precondition for guarding the competences of the Republic of Srpska, raising salaries and pensions, building up and introducing new social rights ... Nothing is possible if institutions do not work for you, and there were attacks on the institutions of the Republika Srpska and Sarajevo and a part of the international community and unfortunately also the people from the Republic of Srpska who were a part of the BiH authorities who did not understand or did not want to understand or hated too much and thus failed to understand that institutions are the priority because they execute the obligations toward the citizens", Prime Minister said.
If institutions do not work and are being destroyed, Cvijanovic warned, the citizens are not protected. "Therefore, I have always stressed that institutions are number one and I am proud of the fact that the Government even in difficult times functioned as one of the most important institutions was ready to provide for the real life of people through the budget and that we managed to overcome all obstacles that we had faced", Ms. Cvijanovic emphasized.
The Prime Minister said that there were many challenges during her term and that the whole period was difficult but today the Government has more reason to be satisfied with the current situation because it managed to provide solution to all those problems in time.
KEY TO SUCCESS IN THE OPENESS FOR TALKS
"I think that the key was found right away at the beginning of the mandate when the times were extremely difficult especially financially and I understood that we should open the Government for talks with social partners, that they must be an integral part of decision making and solutions, since it was a way to first understand what kind of situation we are in, but also to show that if we are together then there are no problems that we cannot solve", the Prime Minister stresses in an interview with Srna.
According to Prime Minister Cvijanovic, this was the period of most open Government. "Every day we meet and communicate with some of the groups concerned even when the media did not record this and together we solved the problems so that today our financial victories are the result of joint efforts", Cvijanovic said.
If we compare this period of five and a half years ago with today, Prime Minister Cvijanovic says she is very satisfied with the fact that the Republic of Srpska is stable and that there are no more problems, but it took a lot of time, hard work and efforts, sleepless nights and difficult challenges to reach this point that motivated the whole Government but also social partners to work even more.
"It is precisely this communion that has led us to the Republic being stable today despite the series of challenges we have encountered. Today, we do not depend on the IMF tranche, nor of the good will of Sarajevo to do something or withdraw some move, "said Prime Minister Srpska.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the Government functioned as a team throughout the mandate and that good results could not have been possible without a teamwork. "There are people who have been very exposed, who have their best and were fully committed, worked, caught the rhythm with what I wanted to achieve and were excellent associates. There are also some who have simply not been so exposed and visible in terms of creating measures and decision making and the like but we were a part of one big team so that there was mutual respect, understanding and appreciation that definitely becomes an institution such as the Government, and I am very proud of it", Prime Minister Cvijanovic said.
MOI IS THE BACKBONE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA AND THEREFORE SUBJECT OF BRUTAL ATTACKS
Asked to comment on the fact that the Ministry of the Interior (MoI) led by Minister Dragan Lukač has lately been often attacked by the opposition and exposed to very brutal and ungrounded allegations, Prime Minister Cvijanović said that the Ministry of the Interior as one of the most important pillars of the Republic of Srpska has been attacked most only to weaken the Republic of Srpska.
"Different people have different motives, but all those who are attacking the MoI essentially aspire to discredit it, to diminish its significance and thus damage the Republic of Srpska because the MoI is the key pillar for functioning and preserving the Republic of Srpska. Our identification with some past times and with what the MoI needs to do in future is concentrated exactly in this institution and as such is the MoI was the target of many attacks in continuity", Cvijanovic said.
She assessed that very negative and untrue stories about the Ministry of Interior, about alleged paramilitary formations, militarization and the like were designed to that end and were created thanks Sarajevo, but, unfortunately, for the Serbian representatives at the BiH level, reached the international stage to get back from there as a boomerang.
"The Ministry of the Interior is exposed to constant pressures – some are motivated by the police reform, that there is no police of the Republic of Srpska while others think of the political gain but do not understand that there can be no political gain if you damage your institution and your police", Prime Minister Cvijanovic said.
The Prime Minister stressed that the Ministry of the Interior was an extremely important institution, and that everyone in the Republic of Srpska must put energy and desire for that institution to function. "I am proud of our MUP in view of the fact that they have successfully participated in numerous actions of international, regional and domestic character, especially because they are now wearing uniforms with the insignia of Republic of Srpska. We must respect this uniform, because if you one did not respect the uniform of the Republic of Srpska Army (VRS), then no wonder that you do not appreciate the uniform of our police.
Unfortunately, there are such people, but I believe in the Republic that respects the uniform of all our VRS soldiers who carried it and all our police officers. Without such a conviction and without such an attitude toward your institutions, you are not a good citizen of the Republic of Srpska, nor a patriot nor do you have good intentions. The truth is that we are improving all our institutions, helping them to do better and be at the service of our citizens and the entire Republic. However, constant attempts to scrutinize and discredit those institutions is not a good approach. But despite all, we have preserved and shall preserve our MOI and I repeat - I am very proud of all their achievements", Cvijanovic emphasized.
125 MILLION IN PROJECTS THIS YEAR ACROSS THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA
Speaking about the work of the Government during her mandate, Ms. Cvijanovic says that during that time, the Government visited every and each local community, invested and built, and that now, after difficult time and difficult financial situation, BAM 125 million are put in projects across the Republic of Srpska.
The Prime Minister underlined said she was proud of the financial stability that became visible since last year. "The year 2017 was completely neat and 2016 showed good indicators that have not yet been seen in real life as it did in 2017," explained Cvijanovic.
Asked to comment on the persistent allegations of the opposition that the Republic of Srpska would face collapse, bankruptcy, that the debt was too high, that salaries and pensions would not be paid, that the funds from the clearing debt would be used to fill the budget gaps and the like, Ms. Cvijanovic said that had the authorities paid attention to everything that the opposition had been saying all those years, it would only lose the energy but instead it focused on its regular activities so that today the Republic of Srpska is stable, the budget is liquid, and there are no outstanding debts toward budget users…
As for the debt of the the Republic of Srpska which, as the opposition claims is too high, it needs to be said that debt in the level of 38% of GDP is one of the lowest in the region, if not the best. And the debts are mostly those that we protracted from the crisis times as well as the loans from the time of the SDS and PDP Government when the debts were made now need to be repaid.
The fact that definitely rebuts all their stories that we listened for years is that last year the funds from the Russian clearing debt had been withdrawn and that some 60 million was kept in the side. Had it been necessary, as the position was alleging, to close the budget gaps, we would have spent that money and would not have waited a year to integrate it with other public funds for investments and accrued with the funds from Serbia used for investing and building up the Republic. So, all those stories were in vain and, more importantly we are constantly improving the situation in Srpska". Prime Minister emphasized.
The Prime Minister reminded that in spite of the stories of the opposition sories that salaries and pensions would not be paid, August salaries of all employees would be raised whereas pensions have been increased several times and now the total increment reached 20%.
This year's trends already show positive projections for the next year and there is already a plan for a regular increase of pensions in January and then adjustment in April which will be depend on the agreement and evaluation of the financial situation.
"We now our goals for the next year exactly and that is the minimum wage which now stands at BAM 440 to reah BAM 500 and the average salary of BAM 1,000. We shall achieve this, I claim this with full responsibility because we have an agreement with all groups in society - with a tarde union, a business community, pensioners... ", Prime Minister announced and reminded that the Government due to better financial situation introduced the measure of maternity allowance for unemployed women in the amount of BAM 405 that would be paid for 12 or 18 months, depending on whether it is the first, the econd or the third child.
"We also took care of demobilized veterans who have turned 65 and who do not fulfill the conditions for retirement or so not have 15 years of service and who would will receive allowance in the amount of the lowest pension and once the Assembly and the Government are constituted it would be the right protected by the law We also introduced allowances for civilian veterans for the first time since the Republic of Srpska exists which would be a BAM 100. All this shows that we are moving forward and therefore I have no time to enter debate with the opposition because we are conecntrating on some other things and those are the results", Prime Minister Cvijanovic said.
As for the opposition's allegations that the Government was not investing in the eastern part of the Republic of Srpska, Cvijanovic answers with strong arguments. "I will mention Bratunac municipality for example which I visited recently and where we invested 140 million BAM. People are grateful for the construction of the Health Center, the bridge between Ljubovija and Bratunac as a joint investment with Serbia but that bridge is not yet operational because the BiH level keeps this procedure blocked with regard to the establishment of a border crossing, but it would be solved. We also invested in rehabilitation of road infrastructure, construction of school, the gym, health facilities ...
Or take an example of East Sarajevo. What matters more to me is what citizens say and not the opposition. Citizens say thank you for bringing life to this city, for giving a new dimension, for the theater, the market, university, student houses... and most importantly the Hospital in East Sarajevo. Or in the area of the city of Zvornik, we have finished the road to Pilica, the sports hall in Branjevo, we are starting to build a gym in Karakaj, etc. People know perfectly well who did all that and are grateful and have respect and understanding for things being done and making the possible out of impossible situation", Ms Cvijanovic said.
SUPPORT TO THE INITIATIVE TO SET THE DAY IN HONOR OF THE VICTIMS OF NATO AGRESSION
Speaking of the initiative launched by the editors and journalists of the Republic of Srpska News Agency - SRNA about designating the day in honor of the victims of NATO aggression on the Republic of Srpska, Ms. Cvijanovic said she was absolutely in favor and supported the idea.
"That was bad and difficult time which left severe consequences behind for the health and lives of our people and even children. I have already talked with certain political groups about this idea and definitely need to set that date and include it in the calendar of significant events", Prime Minister Cvijanovic said.
A WOMAN IN POLITICS MEANS YOU HAVE TO PROVE YOURSELF CONSTANTLY
Asked to comment on being the first woman, Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska and BiH, and the challenges during the term that lasted five years, Ms. Cvijanovic said that being a woman in this position had an additional dimension that at times was aggravating and at times a mitigating circumstance.
"The fact that I was a woman was not an obstacle, although I am aware of the burden of this kind but it always gives a special positive dimension to prove yourself even more. You always have additional responsibility and sometimes have to work twice as much to show your abilities, to keep people together, to seek solutions together and finally to show that you are a normal and ordinary person who lives in and for the Republic of Srpska. Once people understand, there are no barriers. Our society is still traditional and people still have certain reservations when they see a woman in one of the highest functions", Ms. Cvijanovic said.
Prime Minister further said that she had to be open and honest to say that regardless of the somewhat traditional and conservative menataility of our pople, she never felt in any conversation or a group any intolerance because she was a woman even with some that might traditionally prefer or consider to be appropriate to talk to a man in that position.
"Regardless of this traditional or more conservative approach, I think that those barriers in the male-female relationship are usually removed when you first sit down with someone to talk and show that you are first of all a person, that you want to solve a problem, that you bring yourself into the work you do, then all barriers literally disappear. Some people had some doubts at the beginning but after a year or two they came to me and said 'well done, we believe you.' 'This is understandable, we know we're on the same task, we solve problems because you have to have responsibility toward the citizens", Cvijanovic stressed.
She said that women find it harder to deal with insults, attacks and the like, because they are more emotional. "But when you realize that you are doing an important job for the Republic of Srpska and for many generations to come, then it is irrelevant. They can do their job, talk, disgrace, insult, I will do mine, I have my goal and my way", Prime Minister Cvijanovic said.
The Prime Minister says that having grown up children makes things easier to organize a family life and responsibilities as the Prime Minister. "It would be hard for me to imagine a woman in this position having small children or children who require full attention. I have had the advantage because my sons are grown up. As far as my husband is concerned, we have always worked a lot and had a lot of understanding and supported each other. My parents, as every parent, are concerned about me and my health since I had some health crises that I have prolonged and dragged for some time and normally they care as we all care for our children no matter how old they are. But we all understand that this is important work and that everyone should give their contribution as much as one can as a parent, as a son and as a husband and that's how it works", Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska Zeljka Cvijanovic said in an interview with SRNA news agency.