The Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto, announced that she will soon make a decision on the appointment of the Chief Negotiator of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the European Union. Since then, the reactions have not subsided. This issue has become the focus of the political public. At the same time, a debate has been launched on whose competence the appointment of this person is. There is no specific law relating to such appointments.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is entering the phase of appointing the Chief Negotiator for membership in the European Union. This topic is being intensively discussed. Officially, no one is talking about names. The statement of the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto, has triggered an avalanche of reactions. The media is reporting that Ana Trišić-Babić, a member of the SNSD, is a candidate for this position. Would the Troika agree to this?
“We have nothing against the ethnic balance of a Serb or a Serb from Republika Srpska, but not someone who has to ask Dodik and Lavrov for their opinion, and I know for sure that the Troika will not support that. So, let’s get back to what the roadmap should be. Two laws and then we will talk about the chief negotiator. We have never talked about names,” said Elmedin Konaković, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From this, it is clear who is blocking the European path, is the position of the Speaker of the House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nikola Špirić. He expressed his personal opinion about the unofficial potential candidate Ana Trišić-Babić.
“I think that she has been involved in the European integration process for a long time, that she knows the matter very well. I think it is acceptable even though I hear statements from the Troika again that someone from the SNSD, or even someone close to the SNSD, will not support them. That’s who is blocking the European path,” said Špirić.
The appointment should not be a subject of political disagreement, but a point of contact, all political actors say. However, the debate also began over the procedure for appointing negotiators.
SDP MP in the House of Representatives of the BiH PS Saša Magazinović proposed that the Parliamentary Assembly’s clubs propose candidates for negotiators, and that this legislative chamber vote on the proposals. He referred to an earlier decision.
“This scenario for the selection was also communicated to Brussels and there was not a single word of opposition. We believe that this is fast, efficient and what we need at this moment,” said Magazinović.
“We did not receive the material, we do not have the material, but we could understand that there is no basis in the law for the parliament to do anything. But the worst thing we hear here is that someone was coordinating with someone from Brussels,” said Milorad Kojić, MP in the House of Representatives of the BiH PS.
It is obvious that there is no agreement on the procedure for appointing negotiators either. Is it the Presidency, which is constitutionally responsible for foreign policy, the Council of Ministers, or the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Until the precise procedure for appointing the Chief Negotiator is clarified, let us recall that this is one of the main conditions for Bosnia and Herzegovina to open negotiations with the European Union.
