Session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABiH) again without the presence of deputies from the Republika Srpska (RS). More specifically, they attended, but only to vote. Delegates of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) and one Serbian Caucus delegate were present. They voted for only four agenda items and the political blockade is still in force.
Delegates crossed the agenda in less than half an hour. Maybe the strongest impression is the obvious discrepancy between the government and the opposition in RS. While many expected that the SNSD would bring its bill on the abuse of the term genocide in Sarajevo, which was mentioned earlier as a condition, and only then enter the hall, the opposite happened. The document is not ready yet, but that is why there is no participation in the work. For the opposition from RS, who came to the Parliament, but did not appear at the session, the SNSD capitulated.
”We have not left, nor are we returning now, but we continue to follow the views of the competent RS institutions. As for future participation and eventual decision-making, everything will be harmonized with what the National Assembly of RS (NARS) told us,” Snjezana Novakovic-Bursac pointed out, delegate of the House of Representatives of PABiH (SNSD).
While the majority of opposition delegates remain of the opinion that, as they say, the issue of the law imposed by the former High Representative must be resolved, there are also those who believe that half a year has been wasted. They apologized for that.
”We were not present, during that time we received huge salaries. I am personally uncomfortable to enter the main entrance to the hall of the House of Representatives after all this, but luckily there is a fire entrance there and I will use it,” said Dragan Mektic, delegate in the House of Representatives of PABiH, Serb Democratic Party (SDS).
The opposition from RS, however, hints at a possible return to the parliamentary benches, and the government and the opposition from the Federation of BiH (FBiH) are on the same side this time.
”Those who blocked the work of the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples all this time did the same thing today, except in the case of voting on all items on the agenda at the end of the session. The essence is support for grants that mean life for the smaller BiH entity. And that was the main reason for their return, ” Semsudin Mehmedovic, delegate in the House of Representatives of PABiH, Party of Democratic Action (SDA), claimed yesterday.
”Nothing has changed. We were informed at the Collegium that the deputies from RS did not do their homework, which they undertook in the NARS, they did not write the law. And they cannot return because there is no law,” stated Sasa Magazinovic. delegate in the House of Representatives of PSBiH, Social Democratic Party of BiH (SDP BiH).
The SNSD is announcing its bill soon, and they state its adoption as a condition for returning to institutions. It is not yet known whether the proposal will go as an amendment with the High Representative’s law banning genocide denial and whether it will receive support. According to some announcements, another session should be held in February.
