STEVANDIĆ: SCHMIDT ATTEMPTED TO INTRODUCE DISCRIMINATION, NEW LAW ON PARTY FINANCING

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 29 /SRNA/ - The president of United Srpska and Speaker of the Republika Srpska National Assembly Nenad Stevandić said that High Representative Christian Schmidt, with his latest decision, attempted to introduce discrimination against political parties in BiH, specifically in Republika Srpska.

"Regarding Schmidt's measures, we advocate for equal rights and opportunities for all political parties. Democracy and law cannot be enforced through discrimination. A new law on financing political parties has been ready for a year now. We have decided that no party should receive funds from the budget," Stevandić said at a press conference in Banja Luka following a meeting between the President of Republika Srpska and leaders of the ruling coalition parties. He pointed out that Republika Srpska had found a way to transfer funds to the SDS in the previous period despite the party's blocked accounts. Regarding the status of Brčko, Stevandić emphasized that the intentions of the SDA represent a violation of the constitutional order, as that issue had already been resolved earlier. "As for the status of Brčko, that constitutes a violation of the constitutional order. It was the same when SDA leader Bakir Izetbegović spoke about a BiH without entities, and the Prosecutor's Office failed to react. The only one who wants to cause problems is Bakir Izetbegović and the Bosniak political elite," Stevandić said. Stevandić dismissed claims that Serbia is interfering in the internal political affairs of BiH, emphasizing that Serbia has a special responsibility and concern as a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement. "Serbia is a guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement, and that is Serbia's right. That is not interference, but concern for the Dayton Peace Agreement," said Stevandić.