It's not my fault you're a journalist or that you're maybe dissatisfied with your salary, Sanja Vulic, a Bosnian MP who once said the Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik is god to her, told N1's Adisa Imamovic in the break of the Parliament's Wednesday session, adding that had she wanted a smaller salary, she would have done something else.
Bosnian MPs discussed the proposal to abolish additional fees amounting to some €350 which MP's receive on various accounts. Vulic, a member of the ruling ethnic-oriented Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) in Serb-dominated Republika Srpska entity, was against the proposal, calling it a “purely political game” during the session break.
When N1's reporter Adisa Imamovic asked whether it was morally right that members of Parliament should have salaries over €2,500 while the general manager of Bosnia's National Museum has just over €300, Vulic said she chose her occupation.
“It's not my fault you're a journalist and that you're maybe dissatisfied with your salary. I'm not insulting you, I chose my occupation. I'm a member of Parliament. The Law defines the salary. Had I wanted a smaller salary, I'd have done something else,” Vulic said adding that “journalism was once her dream job,” which she might do when she stops being an MP.
Sanja Vulić, SNSD-ova zastupnica, javnosti poznatija po izjavi da je za nju "Milorad Dodik bog", nije se zaustavila na uvredama koje je na sjednici Parlamenta BiH iznijela na račun zastupnika @DraganMektic već je omalovažavala i našu novinarku @adisa_imamovic i novinarsku struku pic.twitter.com/DUomCKTZsR
— TV N1 Sarajevo (@N1infoSA) May 20, 2020
Journalists and other twitter users then took to Twitter, condemning her statement, saying “No wonder Dodik is her god. Whoever fixes a person like this a job with over €2,500 a month must be a god to them,” as PR expert Nenad Memic tweeted.
Professor emeritus at Sarajevo Criminology Faculty Mirsad Abazovic tweeted “Both the society and journalism are lucky that she's not a journalist.”
Journalist Sinisa Vukelic ironically tweeted “Serious editorial offices are sacking journalists to make room for Vulic.”
Another PR expert Dobrila Mocevic tweeted:
“It is very important that women who want to get involved in politics do it the way they do in entrepreneurship and business in general. These sloppy performances and being decorations in men's parties, without real influence or any integrity harms women in general. Sanja Vulic is not suited for the public sphere, let alone politics, and she has devalued and regressed the participation of women in the politics of (Bosnia's Republika) Srpska entity too much. A plea to women on the line who are involved in politics in any way – be Women and not fans and the Balkan stereotypes of women in patriarchy. Thanks.”
The National journalist Association “BH Novinari” (BH Journalists) also responded saying Sanja Vulic spoke to journalists in a very unrefined and disrespectful manner.
“Instead of responding to a legitimate journalist’ question on disproportionately high salaries of Bosnian MPs, the responded saying ‘it's not her fault’ that journalists ‘are maybe dissatisfied with their salaries’,” the Association wrote.
“Journalists’ poor and inadequate working conditions, accompanied by frequent humiliation of their profession by government officials, create an environment in which media professionals work under constant pressure, which is certainly not good for the journalistic community or for those on whose work, political moves and decisions the media report,” the Association concluded
