Representatives of the HDZ Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in the state Parliament submitted changes to the Law on Defense, after the Presidency of BiH signed the decision on the appointment of generals in the Armed Forces of BiH (AFBiH). They claim that the move by the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Zeljko Komsic, who positioned part of the Croatian generals, is in contradiction with the previously agreed proposal in the Ministry of Defense of BiH. The Deputy Minister of Defense of BiH says that there was some criticism of the appointment, but at least it is a done deal for them, because the generals take office on February 1st.
In addition to the appointment of generals in the AFBiH, the HDZ of BiH is also disputing the procedure itself. They want to change it, because they claim that in this case even two sessions of the Joint Commission for Defense and Security of BiH were not held. They claim that the previously agreed proposal with candidates for generals was changed on the way to the BiH Presidency.
“This proposal that Mrs. Pendes submitted to the procedure provides for the Ministry of Defense to resubmit the proposal to the Presidency, but that will not solve anything either, just as nothing will be solved by giving or withholding consent to the decision of the Presidency, which is also prescribed, and which is given by the parliamentary assembly, because we know that some generals served the entire mandate without having the consent of the parliament, which is prescribed by law,” says Zdenko Cosic, representative in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH (PABiH).
As for the Ministry of Defense, the deputy minister says that there were certain criticisms, but
the matter with the appointment of the general is finished, he claims.
“What I can say is that the matter of appointment is a finished matter, the Presidency has made a decision, a handover decision has been signed within the Ministry of Defense so that the new generals will take office on February 1st,” stated Aleksandar Goganovic, Deputy Minister of Defense of BiH.
Politics from the domain of justice and defense should be eliminated and only the most professional personnel should be chosen for these positions, not the most politically suitable, warns the Vice President of the Federation of BiH (FBiH) Refik Lendo.
“The army really needs to be professional, and in that regard, I and others who think like me believe that these people should be professionals, no matter what their name is or what entity they come from,” added Refik Lendo, vice-president of FBiH.
According to the amendments to the Law on Defense submitted to the parliamentary procedure by HDZ BiH, it is foreseen that, if the PABiH does not confirm the decision of the Presidency of BiH within 45 days, then the Minister of Defense submits a new proposal to that body within 15 days. In this way, they claim, the current vacuum is to be filled because without the acceptance of the PABiH, it is not possible to implement the decision of the Presidency of BiH.
