KOVAČEVIĆ: SDS AND PDP MPs LEADING THE CHARGE TO DISMISS SERBS ELECTED BY PEOPLE

SARAJEVO, MAY 29 /SRNA/ - Serb member of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, Radovan Kovačević, said today in Sarajevo that there is a growing radicalization in attitudes toward the election winners in Republika Srpska, toward the majority representatives of the Serb people, who were elected by the Serb people and the citizens of Srpska to represent them.

"We see that Zlatko Miletić is filing criminal complaints. We see that Safet Softić is making threats on television, saying that eight of them, meaning all members of the Bosniak Caucus, along with two Serbs from Republika Srpska, will take a chair and carry Nikola Špirić out of the hall. Then we see this one, who was elected from that minority part of the Serb people, instead of those whom the Serbs elected to be in power, threatening physical violence against those who won the elections because they defend the interests of the Serb people and Republika Srpska,” emphasized Kovačević. He pointed out that Nikola Špirić is in the Collegium of the House of Peoples because that was a decision of the Serb Caucus, expressed by majority will, and that the majority Serb Caucus still stands behind the decision that Špirić is a member of the Collegium. Kovačević said that the fact that the Bosniak Caucus united and is acting completely unanimously, and that it has won over representatives of the minority will of the Serb people, does not change the fact that the majority Serb Caucus stands behind Špirić as a member of the Collegium. Kovačević asked the House members from Republika Srpska who are seeking the dismissal of Nikola Špirić from the Collegium how it is possible that the united Bosniak Caucus is not requesting the removal of a member of the Collegium coming from their minority, but instead seeks the removal of a Serb, noting that these House members are participating in that effort. He emphasized that the Serb MPs from the SDS and PDP are the main instigators pushing for the removal of Serbs and those whom the Serb people elected to represent them. Kovačević asked the Speaker of the House of Peoples, Nikola Špirić, to allow discussion on the agenda instead of on procedural violations, since the dismissal of Serb personnel was not on the agenda of this session, even though those items are included in the agenda of the regular session scheduled after the urgent one. "We have an agenda. As far as I can see, we are currently on the first item, and I would like us to have the opportunity and the chance to speak on that agenda item," said Kovačević after a prolonged debate over procedural issues, which MPs from the SDS and PDP reproached the Speaker of the House, Nikola Špirić. Kovačević said that the public is interested in the items on the agenda and that those obstructing the discussion should keep that in mind.