Schmidt rejects RS criticism, urges Finance Minister to execute Viaduct debt payment

In an interview with Nova TV, Schmidt emphasised that funds from road tolls allocated to RS are available to pay the debt and that the transaction has no impact on the RS budget.

"The claim that they know nothing about this is complete nonsense," Schmidt said, stressing that the BiH Attorney General's Office had repeatedly urged Banja Luka authorities to resolve the accumulated debt, but received no response.

He called on the State Minister of Finance, Srdjan Amidzic, to implement the decision and transfer the funds to Viaduct. If there are concerns about the payment reaching the wrong recipient, Schmidt said, those doubts should be reported to the prosecution.

“This is a decision involving state funds, Central Bank funds, and BHANSA funds that are currently blocked,” Schmidt noted. “The finance minister knows this well, and I expect officials to speak to what they know, not the stories they’d like to tell.”

Schmidt added that Minister Amidzic must execute the payment with due diligence and take all necessary steps. “If he believes something is amiss, or if officials in RS truly believe Viaduct is not authorised to receive the funds, why didn’t their lawyers make that case in Washington? Why are these concerns only now surfacing?”

The High Representative emphasised that if anyone suspects the funds are being misused, or were misused in any agreement between Banja Luka and Portoroz, they should report it to the prosecutor. “If not, then pay the money,” he concluded.

He also addressed the backing he receives from the international community for his decisions, as well as ongoing speculations regarding his potential departure from the post.