Čolo: With three amendments, we will resolve the blockade of FBiH

By Ernad Metaj

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Expectedly, the meeting at the FBiH Parliament regarding the agreement to unblock the work of institutions and decision-making in the parliamentary procedure failed, as SDP, DF, and Our Party had previously decided not to participate in talks about constitutional and electoral reform while the coup d'état from RS is ongoing. SBB representatives came to the previously scheduled meeting with SDA and HDZ and informed that they would not participate either.

"There was a prior agreement that HDZ, which is the only one that has not submitted its proposals and vision for unblocking FBiH, would submit its proposal. This does not mean in any way that SDA has violated the agreement; we will not participate in any talks that are in the SDA and HDZ format," the Speaker of the House of Representatives of FBiH, Mirsad Zaimović, told us. 

Alma Čolo, a member of the Interdepartmental Working Group for Amendments to the Election Law and a regular member of the SDA delegation in negotiations, was not invited to the meeting today. In her opinion, there should be no resistance to discussing technical issues that can remove blockades, for which proposals already exist.

Among them are amendments prepared by Čolo, which, according to her, remove the possibility of blocking the appointment of the President and Vice-Presidents of FBiH, the Federal Government, and judges of the Constitutional Court of FBiH.

"I proposed three amendments, and I believe they are a good basis for solving pressing problems. Working on it is similar to our recent meeting of the Interdepartmental Working Group, where OSCE representatives presented certain solutions and experiences regarding technologies that can prevent electoral fraud. Colleague Magazinović was also at that meeting, but representatives from RS did not come," Čolo stated.

Her first amendment intervenes in the Constitution of FBiH regarding the method of electing the President and Vice-Presidents of FBiH. To avoid blockades, it stipulates that candidates for these positions can be nominated by one-third of the delegates from the Bosniak, Serb, and Croat caucuses in the House of Peoples of FBiH, within 10 days after the constitution of this house. If this does not happen, at least two delegates from each caucus can submit proposals.

"With the second amendment, we wanted to avoid the possibility of blocking the appointment of the FBiH Government so that we never again find ourselves in a situation where it does not reflect the electoral will of the citizens," Čolo emphasized.

Thus, it was proposed that "the President of the Federation, with the consent of both Vice-Presidents of the Federation, within 15 days from the date of election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the Federation, appoints the Government of the Federation after consultations with the Prime Minister or the candidate for that position." 

If this does not happen, the FBiH Government could be appointed by the President of FBiH himself, or by both Vice-Presidents.

The third amendment to the Constitution of FBiH would remove the blockade of the appointment of judges to the Constitutional Court of FBiH.

"Judges of the Constitutional Court are appointed by the President of the Federation, with the consent of both Vice-Presidents, upon the proposal of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH within 30 days from the date of submission of the list of candidates by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH. Confirmation by the majority of delegates of the House of Peoples who are present and voting is required for appointment."

If this did not happen, the judges of the Constitutional Court would be directly appointed by the House of Peoples from the list of candidates of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH.

Patria previously reported that these, as well as HDZ's proposals, which are more political in nature, were submitted to the EU Delegation, from which, according to our information, they are still not giving up on finding a way to satisfy HDZ. If this is not true, it would be good for them to mediate in removing blockades as a prerequisite for any other more serious reforms.