ĐOKIĆ: SCHMIDT’S FINANCIAL AGGRESSION AGAINST SRPSKA UNDER THE GUISE OF JUSTICE

BANJA LUKA, JULY 17 /SRNA/ – The Minister of Energy and Mining of Republika Srpska, Petar Đokić, told SRNA that Christian Schmidt's decisions do not protect the legal order of BiH but rather destroy it.

Đokić stated that Schmidt's insistence that excise funds be used to settle the arbitration dispute with the company Vijadukt represents a direct blow to the financial stability of Republika Srpska and is absolutely unacceptable. "Instead of applying a regressive model, where Srpska's share would be determined from the profits of the Central Bank generated thanks to the fiscal activity of Republika Srpska, Schmidt is trying to impose a solution that favors manipulators while ignoring entity rights," Đokić said. When it suits Schmidt and his interest circles, Đokić noted, the funds of the Central Bank of BiH are used without any problems, for example to conduct elections. "But when Republika Srpska requests a fair distribution of the Central Bank's profits – profits we help generate – this is dismissed as an undesirable option," Đokić emphasized. He said this is a double standard that no one can ignore anymore. "This brazen inconsistency is nothing new – it is a systematic pattern of behaviour by international structures in BiH that has lasted for years. Schmidt does not act as a neutral mediator, but as a political actor with favourites, ready to use BiH's institutions to pursue interests that have nothing to do with justice and everything to do with targeted harm to Republika Srpska," Đokić stressed. He added that the lack of transparency in the arbitration process with Vijadukt is particularly worrying, noting serious doubts about the credibility of the UK-based fund representing Vijadukt as well as both owners of the company. "Who stands behind accounts opened in offshore destinations? Is it possible that money from BiH is being redirected to individuals declared personally bankrupt and subject to bankruptcy proceedings in Slovenia, namely both Slovenian owners? Who is Schmidt actually advocating for?" Đokić asked. He said it is time to seriously examine the credibility of those who initiated and participated in the arbitration, and to launch an international investigation into their accounts and potential intentions of money laundering through offshore zones. "BiH must not become a source of funds for global manipulators. Diplomatic channels should be used, based on bilateral agreements between BiH, the UK, and Slovenia, to investigate the credibility of these accounts," Đokić said. He questioned why the accounts to which BiH is supposed to pay huge sums are not opened in their own countries but rather in some offshore zone, and whether their intention is to evade taxes and other financial obligations they should pay in their home states. "Republika Srpska must not allow its fiscal stability to be undermined under the pretext of international justice. This is not justice – this is financial aggression. Schmidt must stop acting as a political tutor and start respecting the constitutional order and economic sovereignty of the entities, in this case Srpska," Đokić stated. This morning, Schmidt imposed a decision in the case of the Slovenian company Vijadukt that foresees taking money from excise funds on the single account from the portion belonging to Srpska, as well as a decision for the Central Bank of BiH to provide funds for new technologies in the election process.