Nothing from the reconstruction of the Council of Ministers of BiH. The leader of the HDZ, Dragan Čović, made a clear statement. The most important state executive institution has been turned into a training ground for political showdowns and blockades in recent months. The results of the work of the Council of Ministers over the past year or so are far from what was promised. Judging by the leaders’ positions, no changes are in sight, and the holiday season is coming.
Ministers in the Council are often exposed to criticism. From the initial momentum, after their appointment, they reached an almost complete blockade of work. Some of them even personally admit failure.
Edin Forto, Minister of Transport and Communications of BiH:
“There are, here are laws, but that’s what I mean, when we had that momentum, when we boasted that we had stepped forward and then I said that it was too slow and too little, and now especially.”
The overall political disagreement was decisive. Opposing positions of coalition partners, a unilateral and unsuccessful attempt to oust SNSD cadres from power. This resulted in the failure to adopt European laws, the budget, and the accumulation of debt under international arbitrations, such as the one in the Viaduct case. The accusations continue to mount. The Troika blames SNSD.
Elmedin Konaković, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina:
“The blockades of SNSD that began with the green light we received from Brussels clearly show that this party and its leader, under the influence of Russia, do not wish well for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, they do not wish well for the Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While it is so difficult to expect a more functional Council of Ministers, especially in the area of legislation”.
The SNSD responds that they are not blockaders, but rather protect Republika Srpska. They also persistently reject the thesis that they are against the European path.
Staša Košarac, Minister of Foreign Trade of BiH:
“Let’s remember one situation, that we proposed to solve all 14 priorities cumulatively and immediately. The Bosniak structure did not want that, so who blocked the European path? I ask you now, why didn’t we solve all 14 in a package, and that was President Dodik’s proposal, who is blocking, why did they block it, what did they want centralization, therefore there is too much populism here. I assess the actions of the Council of Ministers in accordance with the Constitution.”
The attempt to remove Staša Košarac and another SNSD minister, Srđan Amidžić, from the Council was in vain, because such moves could not pass in the House of Peoples due to the balance of political forces. The cooperation of the SNSD and the HDZ skillfully avoided a discussion on this issue on several occasions. A similar fate could befall the Law on the Council of Ministers, recently amended in the House of Representatives, which stipulates that this House has the right to appoint a minister if the Speaker of the Council fails to do so within the legal deadline. It is certain that the SNSD and HDZ, which voted against it in the House of Representatives, will also have the same views in the House of Peoples.
Borjana Krišto, Speaker of the Council of Ministers of BiH:
“I have nothing against amendments to some laws, including the Law on the Council of Ministers, which may indeed be incomplete, changed, and confused in many provisions, but what is being done now has no normal, legal, or systematic basis, and should not be in the interests of BiH.”
In the end, the HDZ will remain with one more minister than they deserve until further notice. After the resignation of Nenad Nešić, all attempts to appoint an opposition member, Nebojša Vukanović, to the position of Minister of Security instead of Ivica Bošnjak have failed. There is no reconstruction of the Council, as long as the HDZ is concerned.
“I don’t think it’s realistic at all, there’s no possibility for something like that, we gave some colleagues a chance for it, an agreement was made, we started, and then we very quickly saw that there was too much trickery, you see, these individual parties have their own internal discussions these days, so I don’t believe that anything can be done when it comes to reconstruction.
A bloated political year, with no perspective for changes, is also clear to the citizens.
Amil Dučić, journalist:
“I really see the current situation as a stalemate that will last until the election. I don’t see a solution unless the high representative intervenes, however, he said in his statement that he expects domestic actors to come to an agreement, so I don’t see any way out. “It’s exactly that someone gives up on their principles, but I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel here either.”
This convocation of the Council of Ministers was appointed on January 25, 2023, just over 130 days after the election, and many boasted that the election was carried out in record time. Their greatest achievement was obtaining candidate status for membership in the European Union, after which reform and every other momentum almost completely stopped, N1 writes.
