Former President of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Dragan Kalinić, has expressed his support for the initiative of MP Damjan Škipina to officially declare Pale as the capital of Republika Srpska, given its historical significance as the site where many decisions regarding the establishment and institutional development of Srpska were made.
In a statement to Srna, Kalinić highlighted that the narrative of Pale as the capital of Republika Srpska has endured for more than three decades for a reason, and he emphasized that a law on the capital should define its republic-level functions and institutional form.
Kalinić, who also served as the Minister of Health, noted that from 1991 to 1998, he lived and worked in Pale, which fully functioned as the political and administrative center of Republika Srpska during that period.
He pointed out that even before the official start of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, numerous organs and institutions of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches were established and operated under difficult wartime conditions in Pale and its surroundings for four years.
“This was the case until then-President Biljana Plavšić, as a result of internal divisions within the Serb leadership, relocated all key institutions to Banja Luka. Those were dramatic days that, fortunately, did not end in bloodshed,” Kalinić said.
He acknowledged that Banja Luka has since become a true administrative center of Republika Srpska, functioning as its de facto capital, and constitutional changes will likely further clarify this status.
“In the meantime, MP Damjan Škipina’s initiative to officially declare Pale as the capital of Republika Srpska through legal means is gaining traction,” Kalinić noted, expressing confidence that the proposal will soon be discussed in the National Assembly and gain majority support, as it is backed by President Milorad Dodik.
Kalinić emphasized that the citizens of Pale, as well as those who settled there after fleeing persecution from Sarajevo, absolutely deserve such recognition.
“However, if this initiative were to remain purely symbolic, it would merely resemble political propaganda, serving no real purpose,” Kalinić cautioned, adding that the true meaning of the project will only be realized when Pale’s budget is fully defined and implemented as a developmental one.
He acknowledged that much has been done in Pale, but there is still room for further development projects.
“It is unacceptable that Pale does not have a single representative hotel, that the gondola project to Jahorina has been delayed for years, that despite nearby sources of drinking water, residents still struggle with water supply issues, and that a simple city bus network cannot be established,” Kalinić pointed out.
He also criticized the delay in building pedestrian and bike paths along the Miljacka River, the lack of support for the construction of a new archive space for the Kinoteka, which holds invaluable historical documents, and called for the relocation of the headquarters of the SRNA News Agency back to Pale, where it was originally founded.
Kalinić also highlighted the importance of the planned relocation of the heating plant, which should facilitate the gasification of the area. He suggested that Pale has enough space for clean technology production facilities, and the existing faculties, their professors, and students are invaluable assets for the future capital.
Pale, as a capital, Kalinić envisions, should become a place that attracts not only tourists but also young families who wish to build their future there, with the support of both local and republic authorities.
MP Damjan Škipina expressed his satisfaction after receiving the support of fellow MPs during a working meeting of parliamentary representatives from the Sarajevo-Romanija region, further advancing the “Pale – the capital of Srpska” initiative, which has also been endorsed by President Milorad Dodik.
Source: RTRS
