The last deadline for allocating money to finance the elections on October 2nd was May 19th. The law has thus been violated and no one even thinks about sanctions. Citizens are currently watching the political game of cat and mouse and listening to promises that everything will be fine.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has its hands full to meet all deadlines and for citizens to exercise their democratic right and elect a new government on October 2nd. However, the government, and also the inferiority of foreigners, are currently tying the hands of the CEC, which cannot carry out election procedures without money (a total of 12.5 million BAM is needed).
What do we see on stage?
Instead of allocating money from the budget reserve, which is enough, HDZ ministers, and above all Vjekoslav Bevanda as Minister of Finance, do not want to support such a procedure, calling it illegal. However, he insists that the budget be adopted in a regular procedure. And all this would be maximally justified if the procedure did not take very long, and there is no time.
It should be reminded that Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is a country that survived the entire year 2021 on temporary financing, and that we are already in the middle of 2022 without a budget for this year. Why is it like that? There are many, primarily political factors, waiting for the adoption of the global financial framework and so on. Until BiH gets, and if it gets, the budget for this year at all, a very long time will pass. So long that the CEC will not be able to organize elections in time.
This may be the goal of certain policies. The day before yesterday, the HDZ informed that Bevanda had sent a budget proposal to the procedure, but not the budget for 2022, but the framework budget for 2022-2024. This in itself shows that buying time and maximally delaying the process is on the scene.
Meanwhile, the head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to BiH says elections will surely take place on October 2nd. However, the question arises as to what will happen if the CEC cannot organize them. This country has its own rules, whatever they may be. There are deadlines and procedures that need to be met in this regard.
The question for Johann Sattler would be, why he did not insist on the procedure of adopting the budget and providing money for the elections in that way at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022. As we find out, in the EU Delegation, Brussels is ready to support Schmidt to make a decision on financing the elections, but that would be the last resort. However, we do not get an answer as to why they are waiting because it is not the same if the CEC now has the money and starts working on the organization of the election, and if it gets it two months before the election.
Ultimately, why do citizens have to watch them playing with the state?
In the political public it is also possible to hear questions on this topic that it is not wise for Schmidt to use the Bonn powers again and that it is necessary for domestic politicians to reach an agreement. However, the counter-question would be how to agree when the law is not respected. Who will sanction those who break the law? Instead, everyone gives in those in charge, and institutions like the CEC are humiliated.
If Schmidt will receive support for imposing a decision on the financing of the elections in June, why not get it immediately? Is the current policy used to buy time for new negotiations in June on how to fill the House of Peoples of FBiH? And why we do not see greater pressure and insistence on support to provide money for the elections from all parties. Most are already deep in the campaign, “barbecue is being prepared, and the elections are in the woods.”, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
