The third conference of speakers of cantonal assemblies in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), dedicated to strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation and supporting BiH’s European integration, was held on Thursday in Mostar. Participants discussed possibilities for strengthening coordination, exchanging experiences and best practices, as well as addressing issues of common interest.
The Speaker of the Assembly of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC), Dzafer Alic, said that the focus of the conference was BiH’s path toward the EU, with an emphasis on strengthening institutional capacities and aligning cantonal documents with European standards.
He recalled that a large part of the EU’s legal acts concerns local communities, and that the cantons, as the level closest to local administration, have a key role in this process.
As he emphasized, the conference is also addressing issues of shared competencies between the Federation and the cantons, as well as presenting positive practices that could be applied in the legislative documents of other cantons. Three key areas were discussed: security and the fight against corruption, the European path, and social and pro-natalist policy.
The Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo (CS) Assembly, Elvedin Okeric, emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation among cantonal parliaments and harmonizing laws at the cantonal level, especially in the context of fulfilling obligations toward the EU. He noted that CS has achieved significant results in developing anti-corruption and security policies, as well as pro-natalist programs, which it shares with other cantons.
“We certainly have very good experiences when it comes to pro-natalist policies, which two or three years ago resonated across the FBiH, encouraging other cantons to look at how CS succeeded in the areas of social work, care for special categories, improving the security system, and establishing an anti-corruption system, and to share its experiences with other cantons. Everything I have mentioned represents preconditions for harmonizing BiH’s legal regulations in the process of integration into the EU,” he emphasized.
The Speaker of the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament, Tomislav Martinovic, reminded that more than 60 percent of legislative competencies are located precisely at the cantonal level, and that the cantons will have a key role in aligning legislation during negotiations with the EU. He warned of the delay in appointing the chief negotiator and deputy for EU accession, assessing that it is necessary to resolve this issue urgently.
Dragan Miokovic, a representative in the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament, stated that the conference represents an important mechanism for solving problems and understanding the constitutional structure of the FBiH. He emphasized the need for consistent respect for the constitution and laws, noting that federal laws often lag due to long procedures of harmonization with the ten cantonal assemblies.
During the conference, it was highlighted that a stronger cooperation among all levels of government and a consistent application of legal procedures and European standards are necessary for an effective European path for BiH.
