By: Nevena Šarenac

Dozens of BIH citizens have been protesting in Sarajevo for the past two days. They are protesting in front of BiH institutions to express their dissatisfaction for the failure to adopt a law on the unique master citizen number.

Since 12 February of this year, no newborn child in BiH is able to receive a unique master identification number, nor can they be entered into the registers due to the judgment of the Constitutional Court of BiH from January of this year when the law on the unique master citizen number became void.

The immediate reason for the revolt of the citizens, who gathered mainly through social networks and twitter, was the case of three-month-old baby Belmina Ibrišević. She is in urgent need of treatment abroad, but at this moment it is not possible for her to cross the state border since she does not have a unique master citizen number.

We Do Not Want Temporary Decisions. We Want Final Solutions

Although the Council of Ministers at yesterday’s decision adopted a provisional decision on the issuance of unique master citizen number for BiH citizens, citizens are sending a clear message that the protest will not be interrupted because they insist on the adoption of laws that would resolve this issue.

“There is no interim decision and we are looking for a final solution’’, warn outraged citizens, of which several spent the night in front of BIH institutions.

Numerous banners and whistles warn parliamentarians to ‘’listen to the voice of your reason, and not the voice of political leaders’’.

This morning they sent a written request to the BiH Parliament and the Council of Ministers, where they require that a law on the unique master citizen number is immediately passed. They are also requesting for the BIH Ministry of Civil Affairs to initiate the formation of a state solidarity fund for the treatment of seriously ill people that are not able to receive medical treatment in BiH, and modeled on countries in the region, they are requesting that the fund be financed from the BiH budget.

They are requiring that ministers and representatives in both houses of Parliament hand over 30 percent of their total monthly income, and for the money to be used for the solidarity fund for treatment those who are seriously ill.

The protestors are also asking that representatives of the BiH Council of Ministers and the BiH Parliament give a statement concerning their demands.

Activist Darijan Bilić believes that with these protests, citizens are contributing to addressing core universal problems.

“These are small steps. I am sorry that protests do not happen often, because BiH society is in a state of clinical depression, health and the judiciary are in trouble, and cultural institutions are closing. We are hostages of the politicization of political parties, who hold the unions and all associations that are involved in crisis management groups in their hands. This protest gathered mostly young people, who are thinking ahead. Enough is enough! This is an attempt to speak from the depths of the soul’’, said Bilić.

One of the participants at the protest Šemsudin Maljević calls on all citizens of BiH to go out on the streets, because ‘’this is not a political rally, nor does it have anything to do with regional and world events’’.

“All countries have laws, except for BiH. We have so many problems in this country, that we should be protesting every day. I appeal to all citizens, especially to parents, to join, because there are no more excuses! We are putting pressure on parliament! Everyone, this concerns children!’’, said Maljević.

BiH Director Srđan Vuletić gave his support in the fight for human rights.

“The reason for my visit is to support the civil protest. I think that it will be difficult for political parties to turn this into a rebellion of one ethnic or religious group against the rest. The goal of this protest cannot be tainted’’, said Vuletić.

He believes that in the last few months a very clear signal has been sent to BiH authorities that they have to start communicating with the public.

“The government has been set up according to an ethnic principle. Until now, they have had very good success in splitting up any type of objective revolt and have transformed it, through the use of propaganda, into the voice of this or that ethnic group. I think this will be difficult now because the current problems affect all BiH citizens’’, said Vuletić.

He expressed hope that this united civil front would reach the appropriate results.

Lejla Karović, mother of two children, said that with her presence she supports all parents whose children do not have a unique master citizen number.

Bauer and Inzko on the Problem of Issuance of Unique Master Citizen Number

Representative of UNICEF to BiH Florence Bauer spoke today in Sarajevo on the problem of issuing a unique master citizen number.

“If a permanent decision for determining a unique master citizen number is not brought soon, UNICEF will contact the authorities again, said Bauer.

Noting that the fundamental right of every child is to get an identification number immediately upon birth, she welcomed yesterday’s interim decision of the BiH Council of Ministers, but stressed that it is necessary to find a permanent solution.

“We welcome the decision that was brought yesterday, but since it is only a temporary decision, our view is that a permanent decision must be brought’’, added Bauer.

According to her, it took BiH citizens longer to come out on the streets, but the situation should be looked at from a positive side.

“It is necessary for civil society to be more organized, more coordinated and to more actively participate in such events. A very important moment took place yesterday when families spontaneously decided to take to the streets’’, said Bauer.

High Representative for BiH Valentin Inzko welcomed the decision yesterday of the BIH Council of Ministers to adopt a temporary solution for serious problems related to the unique citizen master number.

In the last few weeks the High Representative received numerous letters in which worried parents of newborn children begged him to react.

The High Representative constantly emphasizes that the interest of the citizens has to be the primary responsibility of politicians in BiH.

“As a next step I expect the Council of Ministers and the BIH Parliamentary Assembly to immediately reach a permanent solution to this problem with changes to the state law that establishes a single system at the state level’’, said the High Representative.