The chairman of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dragan Covic, said that the elections in October would be held according to the amended BiH Election Law, if adopted by the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament.
“We have been aware of all the circumstances and obstructions on the Bosniak side in the Federation of BiH for two years. It was openly said that the status quo must remain. I will not say anything hypothetical,” Covic said at a press conference after the House of Peoples session.
He pointed out that the rules for the elections are clear and reminded that the elections in Mostar in 2020 were held according to the agreement adopted in July.
Covic stated that the situation in BiH is frighteningly bad and threatening for all processes.
He expressed satisfaction that the proposal for amendments to the Election Law of BiH adopted today, as he said, reflects the situation in the Federation of BiH.
“Due to the impossibility to make agreements with partners for the last two years, we went alone with the initiative to initiate these changes. They are on the trail of talks because the Bosniak side was not ready – they wanted to keep the status quo at all costs,” Covic said.
He explained that the Constitutional Court of BiH also extensively explained the position of the proposed amendments to the Law, saying that the initiative passed the rules of procedure after the vital interest of the Bosniak people.
He expressed hope that the amendments will be adopted in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.
“I hope that we will have a quality debate and enough wise people so that, after the elections, and in accordance with one part of the debate in Brussels, we can create an environment to respect certain codes of conduct before and after the elections and establish government as soon as possible,” he said. Covic added that he was convinced that in this way the conditions for BiH’s candidate status would be provided as soon as possible.
Covic said that the Law on Amendments to the Law on Public Procurement is one of the conditions for candidate status, and that it is good that it was adopted today.
Today, the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH adopted by a majority of votes the Bill on Amendments to the Election Law of BiH which envisages that a member of the Presidency of BiH from among Croats be elected from among Croatian candidates, according to the electoral model. Parliament of the Federation of BiH.
It is a legal act whose proponents are the delegates from the Club of the Croatian People Dragan Covic, Lidija Bradara, Marina Pendes and Barisa Colak. Bosniak delegates have previously vetoed the proposal, but the BiH Constitutional Court has ruled that the proposal is not detrimental to Bosniak national interests.
In order for the law adopted today to enter into force, it must be approved by the House of Representatives in the same text, and due to the balance of power in that House, there is little chance that it will happen.
