There are only a few days left until the final resolution of the political crisis in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), considering Christian Schmidt’s announcement that he will intervene again in case the political leaders do not agree on the composition of the FBiH Government.
If Christian Schmidt’s announced decision is of a temporary nature, with the aim of eliminating the SDA from the Government of the FBiH, and at the same time preserving the indisputable position of the Croatian political factor (strengthened by the original decision of the High Representative), it could create a perception in the eyes of the public that the SDA is a victim of the current policy of the international community and that it was punished because it did not fulfill the ultimatum to meet the demands of Croatian politics in BiH.
That is, the reason for their elimination from the government is not the product of corrupt and criminal affairs, some of which have received a judicial epilogue, but a means for the international community to reach the above-mentioned goal. Once they lose their positions, SDA representatives will use exactly such moves by the Office of the High Representative (OHR) and part of the international community as an alibi.
If it is possible to temporarily change the FBiH Constitution and the Election Law only six months after it was already amended on election night (which has never happened in the almost 30 years of the FBiH’s existence), in order to eliminate only one party from power, many will wonder why it would not be possible to put pressure on SDA members through political, institutional and judicial means. With a temporary decision, Schmidt will instill public doubt in the institutions of BiH and the sincerity of the intentions of the international community.
There is an additional reason why such a perception would be created, which relates to the electoral reform at the state level, which has not been completed. By forming the Government of FBiH, which would consist of the Eight and HDZ, with the intervention of Schmidt, he directly fulfills the condition from the agreement that the Eight and HDZ signed earlier, that it would be possible to change the Election Law of BiH and the Constitution of BiH. The primary goal is to resolve the issue of the election of members of the BiH Presidency, which HDZ insists on.
“Urgently implement, and no later than six (6) months from the establishment of government at all levels, limited changes to the Constitution of BiH and adopt amendments to the Election Law of BiH in accordance with the decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR),” reads the agreement signed on November 29th last year.
If the FBiH Government was not formed in this composition, there would be no obligations of the Eight, which is already part of the government at the state level, to fulfill the mentioned point of the agreement. That is, the SDA remaining in power in the FBiH Government would not oblige the Eight to electoral reform.
In this regard, with his decision, Schmidt can indirectly influence the change of the electoral law in the part that concerns the state level. Although a permanent decision would also leave a lot of room for the SDA to present itself as a victim of the politics of part of the international community, weakening the position of the HDZ would create the impression that the approach of Schmidt and primarily the United States (U.S.) embassy was not always one-sided, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
