The constitution of government at the state, entity and cantonal levels, as well as Brcko District, is in progress. A number of politicians remain in the parliamentary seats, and all those who leave are entitled to the so-called “White Bread” (”Bijeli Hljeb”), a monthly allowance in the amount of three thousand BAM.State and federal officials are entitled to this privilege one year after the end of their mandate – officials in the Republika Srpska (RS), West Herzegovina Canton, and advisers in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) for half a year.
Presidents, prime ministers, deputies, ministers, their deputies and advisors will continue to receive a salary of three thousand BAM, depending on whether they performed their duties at the state or entity level, for the next six months or a year even after their mandate has ended. They are entitled to this compensation called “White Bread” even if they have been dismissed or if they have only spent one day at that function.
“I believe that the so-called “White Bread” is a shameful privilege in the time we live in and that this right should eventually be given to people’s deputies who do not have a frozen position at the end of their mandate, they have nowhere to return to,“ stated Darko Momic, journalist of the Kapital portal.
In the soup kitchen run by the Banja Luka humanitarian Miroslav Subasic, hundreds of people stand in line every day for the real bread and meal. He says that it is not clear to him how anyone can use the so-called “White Bread” and that it is high time to abolish this privilege.
“There must be someone to initiate it. I think our conscience will not allow us to take that bread for ourselves, but on the contrary to help ensure that there is enough bread for everyone in soup kitchens, “ noted Miroslav Subasic, Humanitarian organization “Mosaic of Friendship”.
Milan Petkovic, the newly elected representative of the United Srpska in the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament, proposed in the National Assembly of the RS (NARS) the abolition of ”White Bread”. His proposal was rejected by both the position and the opposition.
“I think that this right should last no longer than 30 days, that is, a month, so that simply people whose mandate has expired try to manage until they are appointed to a new position. Every politician who is elected to a mandate has a notice period of 4 years and must understand it accordingly,“ told Milan Petkovic, newly elected representative of the United Srpska in the House of Representatives in the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH(PABiH).
The right to “White Bread” was abolished by Sarajevo Canton, Tuzla Canton, and Una-Sana cantons. Procedures for cancellation were also initiated at other levels of government, but there was no understanding, at least until now. It should also be noted that a small number of officials refused to take or took this compensation and used it for humanitarian purposes. However, 95 percent of officials did not give up “White Bread” or asked themselves how ethical and acceptable it is at this moment, BHRT reports.
Photo: CIN
E.Dz.
