Dodik and Izetbegović without agreement

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Today's meeting between the presidents of SDA and SNSD, Bakir Izetbegović and Milorad Dodik, ended without an agreement on forming the government, Dodik confirmed in a statement to the media. He also informed the Russian ambassador about this, with whom he spoke today in East Sarajevo. 

Dodik stated that Izetbegović set a condition for the formation of the BiH Council of Ministers, namely that BiH submits the Annual National Plan (ANP) to Brussels as an obligation from the MAP, after which the appointment of the designate and ministers would proceed. Dodik rejected such a possibility, stating that "SNSD stands by its earlier positions that the formation of the Council of Ministers is not conditional on NATO membership".

Izetbegović previously stated that submitting the ANP does not mean BiH membership in NATO. 

After today's meeting, it is difficult to expect that the government at the state and federal levels could be formed soon, which was very clearly requested today in the European Commission's Opinion on BiH's candidate status. 

The High Representative of the EU and Head of the EU Delegation Lars Gunnar Wigemark today handed over the EC Opinion to the members of the BiH Presidency, the members of the Collegia of both Houses of the BiH Parliament, as well as the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdić. It was emphasized that it is necessary for BiH to move towards EU membership by implementing all the recommendations concerning legal legislation, human rights protection, and the improvement of the judiciary's work.