Bećirović: Election of Constitutional Court Judge of BiH must be in line with BiH Constitution, I call on the Parliament of FBiH not to support Vukoja!

(Patria) - Regarding the vote on the election of a judge of the Constitutional Court of BiH from the BiH entity FBiH, the BiH Presidency Chairman Denis Bećirović stated that he has been principled and consistent for a long time, emphasizing that deputies of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH should respect the Constitution of BiH, laws, and principles of independence and transparency in the procedure of proposing and electing judges of the Constitutional Court of BiH.

"For a judge of the Constitutional Court of BiH, it is necessary to propose and elect law graduates, individuals characterized by professionalism and transparency, high moral qualities, and proven professional abilities, with appropriate work experience and results. According to the Constitution of BiH and laws, judges of the Constitutional Court of BiH from the BiH entities are elected by the entity legislative bodies, and they should demonstrate full responsibility and seriousness," Bećirović stated.

He adds that the procedures carried out so far, regarding the determination of the list of the most successful candidates for the election of one judge of the Constitutional Court of BiH from the BiH entity FBiH, indicate actions that are not in line with the basic criteria for electing judges of the Constitutional Court of BiH.

"Namely, deputies of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of FBiH must be enabled to elect a judge, not to confirm the proposal of the Election and Appointment Commission by acclamation. Furthermore, the Commission for determining the list of the most successful candidates has not provided adequate evidence from which it could be concluded that the proposed candidate of the HDZ (among more than ten other candidates, including current judges, professors, and doctors of legal sciences, proven legal practitioners, and other reputable lawyers) belongs to the ranks of prominent lawyers with high moral qualities. On the list of successful candidates, below the top-ranked candidate, the Commission of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of FBiH has ranked numerous other lawyers who, according to the criteria and standards of the legal profession and science, legal practice, and even constitutional court practice, prima facie, deserved to be ranked better than the top-ranked candidate for the judge of the Constitutional Court of BiH," Bećirović states.

He states that the election of judges of the Constitutional Court of BiH must not be a subject of political bargaining between the leaders of different parties.

"No one has the right to appoint judges of the Constitutional Court of BiH at informal inter-party meetings and to turn legally elected government bodies into mere executors of agreements between party leaders. It is time to stop the bad political practice established in previous decades, according to which suitable party candidates, not prominent lawyers with high moral qualities, are elected to the Constitutional Court of BiH. Also, representatives of the constituent peoples, predetermined by political parties, are not elected to the Constitutional Court of BiH.

Finally, although the BiH Presidency does not participate in the election of judges of the Constitutional Court of BiH, I call on the Parliament of the Federation of BiH not to support the election of Marin Vukoja as a judge of the Constitutional Court of BiH", Bećirović concluded.