Bošković did not receive support for anti-business conclusion, as he cannot chair the session, it will not be held

(Patria) - Today's session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of FBiH is being chaired by Mladen Bošković (HDZ BiH) instead of the Speaker Mirjana Marinković Lepić, which the opposition discussed. Representatives stated that they do not know who they are addressing, as documents are sometimes signed by Marinković-Lepić and other times by Mladen Bošković.

For the conclusion read by representative Belmin Zukan, stating that Bošković can chair the session instead of Speaker Marinković-Lepić at the proposal of the parliamentary majority's representative clubs, 44 representatives voted. Bošković then requested individual voting by representatives. After individual voting, 47 representatives voted in favor, meaning the conclusion again did not receive support.

After a short break, Bošković stated that they agreed to only verify the new mandates of representatives today, specifically representative Franka Leko, and that they will be informed about the date of the new session later.

Mahir Mešalić, a DF representative, asked if this was legally possible, given that "this session does not exist because Bošković is not chairing it" and whether the oath could be taken and someone appointed to Parliament.

Bošković stated that "we are not on the agenda" and that this is how it has always been done before the agenda.

Mirsad Zaimović (SDA) stated that this conclusion was unnecessary.

"You have brought yourselves into a situation where you do not have a majority and where, unfortunately, we do not have a session today. If colleague Marinković-Lepić is unable to chair the sessions for any reason, I propose that she complete this part of the work regarding the oath-taking so that no one disputes the colleague's mandate tomorrow," said Zaimović.

Mešalić reiterated the request for the House Secretary to clarify whether a new mandate can be assigned and an oath taken in this situation. Bošković put to a vote the Collegium's agreement that he could chair the procedure for assigning and verifying the mandate of the new representative. This was supported by 50 representatives, and Mešalić requested individual voting, after which there were 49 votes. Bošković invited Marinković-Lepić to take over the verification process, which she did. She stated that she would take over this part "contrary to medical advice."

Hajrudin Žilić, president of the Mandate-Immunity Committee, asked the secretary to clarify whether it is in accordance with the law and rules of procedure to read an official report from one of the working bodies at a "colloquial session." After the secretary's clarification, Žilić decided not to read the report.

What Nikšić asked of the House

Incidentally, before today's session, the Federal Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić sent a letter to Speaker Mirjana Marinković-Lepić requesting that the proposed law on the South Interconnection gas pipeline not be put on the agenda.

"Given that the Government of the Federation of BiH plans to consider and send the Bill on the South Interconnection Gas Pipeline of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia to the parliamentary procedure during March of this year, I propose that you do not consider the Bill on the South Interconnection Gas Pipeline of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia, which was proposed by representatives of the SDA Club in the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for urgent procedure, at the 10th regular session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH, scheduled for March 4, 2024.