Political uncertainty at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina continues. The end of January brought the adoption of two long-awaited European laws, which were a tool for the ruling parties to show their mettle. But an even more difficult task is yet to come: the relations between the partners in power, but also the European progress of BiH. There are no concrete announcements for these talks and meetings. Perhaps the announced sessions for next week of the Council of Ministers of BiH, the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament, and a special joint session of both houses will be an indicator of everything.
February is full of tasks for the ruling party at the state level. Well, whatever the balance of power may be. Because the analysis of what has been done will be considered by the European Union in March. Two laws are pending – the Law on Courts and the HJPC, the appointment of the chief negotiator with the European Union, and the adoption of the budget for this year.
“The harmonization of these three items will be a kind of guideline for the partners we are talking to, and I say today everyone in BiH is a partner, even those who consider themselves opposition”, says Dragan Covic, president of HDZBiH.
“You can’t go a little bit in Europe, then not go a little bit, then adopt two laws and then get stuck on two. The policy of blackmail is the policy of losers, we want to unblock this country”, according to Drasko Stanivukovic, president of PDP.
“I see that even some here in the Republika Srpska want to change the Constitution in the part that says that the quorum is not three delegates of the House of Peoples, but two, and for Schmidt to do it. If he does that, he will receive our answer on the same day”, according to Milorad Dodik, president of SNSD.
“We must not be people who will ignore what people from the opposition parties from the Republika Srpska did in the House of Representatives. We will see what will happen”, explains Nermin Niksic, president of SDP.
Although it was expected that the session of the House of Peoples of BiH would crystallize the relations between the Troika and the SNSD, that did not happen. Especially since a session of the House of Representatives of BiH is scheduled for next week, at which Branislav Borenović could be appointed to the Collegium of this house. An interesting proposal is also coming from the SNSD itself, that they could propose Nebojša Vukanović as Minister of Security of BiH. Although everything seems to be leading to the entry of the opposition of Republika Srpska into power, is that realistic?
“This resembles the beginning of a divorce case, in which the children are trying to reconcile the parents, and it seems to me that this story is taking place in BiH. The EU is at stake, the stake is progress or a return to some past state”, says Zoran Kresic, a journalist.
And, that would mean a return to divisions, according to our interlocutors. And that’s why everything could take a while, even until the 2026 election year, because the mathematical distribution of hands says it all. No one expects any serious reshuffles at the state level halfway through the mandate. Because all that would lead to even greater blockages.
