One-month deadline for the formation of a new government in Bosnia and Herzegovina, agreed upon by party leaders on 5 August, has expired today, and the issue will return in focus only after the party congress of the ruling SDA on 14 September.
According to Nezavisne, member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željko Komšić stated that there is no problem in nominating Zoran Tegeltija of SNSD as the new Chairman of the Council of Ministers (equivalent to the Prime Minister), but that the main obstacle is unwillingness of SNSD leader and Presidency member Milorad Dodik to send the Annual National Programme in the context of NATO Membership Action Plan, European Western Balkans reports.
“The ball is now in his side of the court”, stated Komšić.
The day after the agreement was signed, SDA Party President Bakir Izetbegovic said the BiH Council of Ministers would probably not be formed within 30 days and that article 12 stipulates that if 30 days have passed since the signing, without the Council of Ministers of BiH been formed, the Agreement shall no longer be valid.
Article 11 of the signed Agreement states:
“We call on the BiH Parliamentary Assembly to form a Commission for the appointment of the Council of Ministers of BiH and other working bodies in accordance with the Constitution and Rules of Procedure, and other working bodies in accordance with the Constitution and Rules of Procedures,” was stated in the signed agreement.
Eight days after the Agreement was signed, there is no scheduled session of the BiH Presidency.
“I am pleased that the persistent insistence of the Croatian side on dialogue and agreement has been fruitful, making progress that will hopefully finally enable the election winners to establish the government. The persistent commitment to urgent government formation is to highlight and recognize the priority of our work, which establishes the foundation for further development and progress of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Dragan Covic, President of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“This is in the interest of all the peoples and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also of the construction of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a modern European state in which the equality of constituent peoples will be consistently respected and which, with its commitment to political responsibility, will move towards a better future,” Covic said.
The political parties have firmly committed to establish functioning authorities and to continue with the implementation of necessary legislative and socio-economic reforms as well as with concrete steps in the key area of fighting corruption and organised crime.
“To keep the necessary momentum, we expect the political leadership in Bosnia and Herzegovina to proceed with the formation of authorities and to enable the regular functioning of all institutions without further delay to ensure reform implementation in line with European standards and values,” was stated by the EU Delegation to BiH.
