Some promise and announce prosperity, while others, through performances and political populism, warn of a possible financial collapse due to new debts. The pre-election campaign in Republika Srpska has been going on for a long time, and SNSD president Milorad Dodik has also actively participated in it.
Dodik announces income growth
Milorad Dodik once again, instead of line ministers and the Prime Minister, announces economic measures, wage increases and easier employment of trainees. Although he cannot be a candidate, it is clear that he is still by far the most recognizable face of the government. From the position of SNSD president, he talks about how the salary increase was ensured.
“We have created the preconditions for an increase in wages, pensions that will follow, veteran’s allowance and all other benefits. We have created the conditions for that. In the last 16 quarters, we have had continuous growth of the domestic product,” said the SNSD president.
The opposition warns of debts
On the other hand, Dodik’s political opponents, some of whom are themselves in power at the local level, criticize the new liabilities and announce a financial collapse.
The PDP, whose president is the mayor of Banja Luka, harshly criticizes the government. It is interesting that they themselves face the same criticisms of the opposition in the city due to indebtedness, non-transparency and dubious public tenders. The PDP believes that they have opened the citizens’ eyes.
“This means that we have fulfilled our mission, which is to make it clear to everyone in the RS what they are doing to our children. It is certainly a mechanism to put democratic pressure on them so that they themselves say that they have gone too far,” said Bojan Kresojević, deputy of the PDP in the NSRS.
Economy suppressed national themes
In recent months, politicians have turned to economic topics instead of national ones. Populism or not, for many it is a welcome break.
“It is evident that both the government and the opposition are moving away from difficult national issues, probably aware that citizens no longer react to them as before and that they can no longer score political points on them. That is why they are turning to the economy. The government makes promises, and it can do so because it borrows from our backs,” said Gordana Katana, a journalist from Banja Luka.
We are looking for an opposition candidate
In the Republika Srpska, apart from the fact that Nebojša Vukanović is the opposition candidate for the Presidency, the names of the other candidates for other positions are not yet known. The biggest fight is over the name of the opposition candidate for president. For now, the biggest favorite for that candidacy is Branko Blanuša, president of SDS, but it is hard to expect that Draško Stanivuković will withdraw.
