At the end of the deadline for the appointment of the Government of the Federation, the issue of potential interventions of the high representative in the Constitution of the Federation came up again. A possible solution is shared in the media, according to which the Government could be appointed without three signatures, but with the right of those who do not want to sign the appointment to veto the decision, which, among other things, requires a two-thirds majority in the Canton Assembly in the caucus of peoples to which it belongs. This further means that the appointment of the Government is left to the will of the representatives in only three cantons, which the government and the opposition deemed unacceptable – all except the HDZ of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
New government under new rules. According to rumors, Christian Schmidt is preparing a solution for the Federation because Refik Lendo‘s consent for the appointment of the Government is not yet available. Because of this, a new decision could arrive from the Office of the High Representative (OHR), according to which the Government can be appointed without all three signatures, and the president and vice presidents get the right of veto. The veto can be used only by those who have two-thirds support in the People’s Caucus in the House of Peoples, but also two-thirds support of their caucus in the assembly in the canton where is the largest number of that people. Although it has only just been announced, Schmidt’s new intervention caused stormy reactions, especially among the opposition. While the SDA claims in a statement that this path leads to definitive ethnic segregation, DF leader Zeljko Komsic sharply criticizes: “Instead of the above solution that Schmidt should impose, I suggest him to think about a simpler, more efficient and undisguisedly clear chauvinist-fascist solution.” And that is – the elections in the Federation are canceled!”
“It is anti-democratic and in a way delivering the Federation to the parties gathered around the Croatian National Assembly (HNS). This is one way in which Bosniaks are specifically denied the right of veto, and here specifically it is possible for the parties gathered around the HNS,” said SDA’s Muamer Zukic, president of the Bosniak Caucus in the House of Peoples of the Federation of BiH (FBiH).
Thus, the decision on the appointment of the Government would be moved from the House of Peoples to the three cantons. These are Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC), Tuzla and Sarajevo Cantons, where the majority of delegates from the Croatian, Bosniak and Serbian peoples come from. Such a solution is not acceptable even for the ruling parties of the Eight. They already resent the announcement of new changes in the Federation. The parliamentary majority, which has already been demonstrated several times, is for them the way to the formation of the Government.
“If it is decided for the eventual additional cantonization of BiH, I consider it a verification of the war and political actions of an abnormal political system, and we should, nevertheless, strive for democracy,” says FBiH Vice President Igor Stojanovic(SDP).
People and Justice (NiP’s) Aljosa Campara, a delegate in the House of Peoples of FBiH, considers completely unacceptable any blocking of the establishment of a new convocation of the Government of FBiH: “I use this opportunity to call on SDA officials not to play with the future BiH and to respect the will of the highest legislative body in FBiH“.
