The National Assembly of Republika Srpska (RS) on Wednesday elected members of the Management Board of Radio-Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS), sparking the most controversy over the proposed candidate from the Bosniak community.

The Committee for Selection and Appointment of the RS National Assembly proposed Dragana Cavka, who was elected by the Assembly. Cavka had previously identified as a Serb in several election cycles, with her mother being named Jevrosima.

This was pointed out by MP Nebojsa Vukanovic, while Bosniak Vice President of the RS National Assembly, Mirsad Duratovic, stated that he does not know Cavka at all.

SNSD's Amidzic: I would be ashamed

The General Secretary of SNSD, Srdjan Amidzic, expressed that he was not surprised by the public outcry following the National Assembly of Republika Srpska's election of Dragana Cavka to the RTRS Management Board as a member from the Bosniak community.

“I am not interested in the reasons of those who voted, but I believe that this matter should have been approached more seriously,” Amidzic emphasized.

He stated that the media is very important and that this is a serious issue because the Management Board of a public service broadcaster is a place for experienced individuals.

“If someone wants to change their religion, that is their personal matter, but if they do it for any position, then the public rightly questions the nature of these individuals. I would be ashamed,” Amidzic highlighted.

Crnadak: SNSD supports those who “change faith for dinner”

“Shame and disgrace of the National Assembly, again under the direction of the SNSD coalition, continued at the last session with the appointment of Dragana Cavka to the RTRS Management Board as a member from the Bosniak community, after she changed her national affiliation from Serbian to Bosniak just before the competition”, said Igor Crnadak, head of the PDP Caucus in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska.

He pointed out that, regarding the statement by SNSD General Secretary Srđan Amidzic that he is ashamed of this appointment, the PDP Caucus publicly released the voting record for Ms. Cavka, which clearly shows that all present SNSD MPs voted for the “newly minted Bosniak” and that SNSD supports those who “change faith for dinner.”

“Amidzic is not ashamed, nor are his MPs; on the contrary, they fully supported this bizarre proposal and once again confirmed that SNSD is making Republika Srpska a society without honor and morals, where the only thing that matters is how much money and power you have,” Crnadak said.

He added that Cavka is perhaps the least to blame, as she merely took advantage of the fact that the SNSD coalition created a sick environment where nothing is sacred and where “people walk over the dead” for the simplest position in some committee or board.

“The PDP voted against this proposal, which was also a vote against the corrupt and rotten system that SNSD created, and a vote against further humiliating the National Assembly,” Crnadak said.

Who is Dragana Cavka?

Dragana Cavka is affiliated with SP and was previously an assistant to the Minister of Trade and Tourism of RS. On September 14 last year, she was appointed Assistant Minister of Finance Zora Vidovic at an RS Government session.

However, she never assumed the position as the appointment was never published in the RS Official Gazette.

On her Facebook, Cavka often posts photos celebrating Easter, quotes Milorad Dodik, and declares: “We are not a genocidal people.”