SARAJEVO, The Commission for Finance and Budget of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH today supported the Bill on the conversion of loans in Swiss francs into BAM, which was sent to the parliamentary procedure by the Croatian delegate Mario Karamatić.
Explaining the bill, which stipulates that all loan agreements in Swiss francs be converted into BAM at the exchange rate valid on the day of concluding the agreement, Karamatić said that banks did not borrow in Swiss francs, nor did they have coverage in francs for those loans.
“The citizens of BiH did not receive loans in francs, but in BAM, so they were deceived and stolen. These are fictitious loans,” pointed out Karamatić, requesting that loans in Swiss francs be converted into the currency which is the legal tender in BiH.
The chairman of the Commission for Finance and Budget, Ljilja Zovko, stated that the obligation of the elected representatives in the BiH Parliament is to protect the interest of the citizens, assessing that this problem should have been solved earlier.
Member of the Commission and Croatian delegate in the House of Peoples, Zdenka Džambas, reminded that the entire region has long since begun to solve the problem with the Swiss francs, while in BiH this is the first attempt.
Dragutin Rodić, a member of the Commission and the Club of the Serbian People in the House of Peoples, stated that the delegates should have social sensitivity for the citizens, but should also take into account implementation when passing laws.
“I am concerned about the applicability of this solution, which could produce far-reaching consequences, and I believe that more consultations on it are needed,” said Rodić, who was the only one to abstain from voting on Karamatić’s proposal, while other members of the Commission were in favor.
The members of the Commission were addressed by the President of the Association of Citizens “Švajcarac”, Kemal Duraković, who asked them to support 9,802 citizens of BiH—6,100 in the Federation of BiH and 3,702 in the Republic of Srpska, who have loans in Swiss francs and are in a difficult situation.
Today, the Commission received information about the increase of funds for the Central Election Commission (CEC) of BiH in the budget of BiH for next year, with the conclusion that the Council of Ministers will consider the request and decide on it.
A CEC member, Suad Arnautović, informed the members of the Commission for Finance and Budget that an increase in funds is needed in order to democratize the election process.
He stated that additional funds from the BiH budget would be used for the purchase of transparent ballot boxes, providing video surveillance at polling stations, computer connection of polling stations with the main center, and installation of ramps for people with disabilities.
The Commission for Finance and Budget of the House of Peoples accepted the reports on the execution of the BiH budget for last year, and on its financial audit.
