Dodik To Form New Bosnian Serb Govt

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Aleksandar Dzomic and President Milorad Dodik on Monday agreed that the entity government will hand resignation on Wednesday, amid continuing economic woes and rising unemployment.

Dodik will hold a government session on Wednesday where the name of a new prime minister will be announced, media reports said.

Dodik also said that the same coalition, which comprises his Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, the Socialist Party of Republika Srpska, SP RS, and the Democratic People’s Alliance, DNS, will continue to govern the entity. Some ministers from the outgoing cabinet will also remain in place.

“Since this is to be resignation of the government there is no need for it to be discussed by the parliament and we can start with consultations about composition of the new government,” Dodik said.

Currently, the SNSD holds 12 positions in the government, while its two coalition partners have two ministries each.

“This is not about a dismissal of the government but about a normal transition aimed at enabling better and more efficient work of the government,” Dodik said.

The Republika Srpska parliament elected the entity’s government in December 2010, after general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in October that year.

The new cabinet is to be confirmed by the national assembly of Republika Srpska.
Dodik’s SNSD holds 37 of the 83 seats in the assembly and together with its governing coalition partners, holding eight seats in all, they have a majority.Milorad Dodik said this week he will start consultations about appointing a new government, though it will be composed of the same parties as before.