DODIK: RECORD LOW INDEBTEDNESS, INCREASE IN SALARY AND PENSION IS GOAL

BANJA LUKA, FEBRUARY 10 /SRNA/ - SNSD Leader, Milorad Dodik, says that the party is satisfied with the work of the Republika Srpska Government, all budget obligations have been settled, Srpska's indebtedness is at a record low, and that increasing salaries and pensions is this year’s goal.

Dodik, who is the president of Republika Srpska, has stated that the Srpska Government had a successful year in difficult circumstances, together with the parliament and other institutions of Srpska, which is reflected in the fact that the local product grew by 2.8 percent, and that the average December salary was BAM 1438. "Inflation that we had at the end of 2023 of 3.3 percent dropped to 1.8 percent. We had 69 percent of export-import ratio," Dodik pointed out at a press conference after the session of the SNSD Presidency and the session of the party’s Executive Committee. He has emphasized that Republika Srpska has settled all budget obligations and that the Srpska economy has grown by BAM two billion. "Investments amount to BAM 2.8 billion," said Dodik. He stated that in the past two years, Republika Srpska allocated BAM 600 million from its own sources for foreign debt servicing. "All the subsidies have been paid, neither the student standard has been owed. All the obligations towards the veterans have been paid. The obligations in the field of agriculture and at other levels are being paid," said Dodik. He emphasized that Srpska has the lowest rate of indebtedness and the burden of personal income, which amounts to 31.5 percent, while it is 42 percent in the Federation of BiH. Dodik said that Republika Srpska achieved significant results in difficult circumstances, such as the fact that external factors imposed a ban on the banking sector to act in accordance with the economy. "They used political pressure to demand that the banking sector not cooperate with the institutions of Srpska last year," said Dodik. He stated that the budget deficit of Srpska is 0.5 percent, and that it is among the lowest in Europe. "Our indebtedness is at a record low, so Srpska certainly enters this year with optimism. Our goal is increased growth, salary increases as we have already done. Our goal is to increase August pensions by another three percent," said Dodik. He has mentioned that Republika Srpska allocates almost BAM two billion annually for pensions payment. "We talked about how to stabilize the pension sector. We will start a discussion in society about increasing the pension age as a condition for retirement, but we will also try to regulate the area that concerns a significant number of pensioners working in some sense and to try to solve that dualism," said Dodik.