Forto admits at public hearing that there is no solution for public RTV service

(Patria) - A public hearing is underway for the Minister of Transport and Communications of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edin Forto, due to unsatisfactory work results of this ministry in 2023 and 2024.

The public hearing was scheduled by the Commission for Transport and Communications of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to obtain necessary information and determine the reasons for the unsatisfactory work results of the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH in 2023 and 2024, and why the Ministry has not implemented the Commission's conclusions.

Šemsudin Mehmedović, the initiator of this hearing, stated at the beginning that this is an excellent tool for the legislative body to strengthen communication with executive authorities.

- One of the reasons I initiated today's hearing is the fact that we have not often seen Minister Forto at Commission sessions, although he was duly invited. The Commission held three thematic sessions in the past two years, and the Minister did not attend any of them. The extremely complex situation of BHRT and the violation of the law on the public RTV system were the topics of two thematic sessions. After the tragic traffic accident in Sarajevo in which two young doctors died, the Commission held a third session - stated Mehmedović.

He also emphasized that the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, at its eighth session, unanimously adopted the conclusion: "The Ministry of Transport and Communications of BiH is requested to submit to the Council of Ministers of BiH for adoption and referral to the procedure, as soon as possible, a draft law on amendments to the Law on the Fundamentals of Road Traffic Safety in BiH".

Reckless driving on BiH roads

He asked Forto why he did not act in accordance with the conclusion of the highest legislative body that appointed him to the position of minister.

Forto stated that the law needs other amendments besides the article on reckless driving.

- Electric scooters, which have become an urban phenomenon, are not defined by law... Then, a traffic accident that costs a few hundred KM completely blocks traffic. In accordance with the EU form that drivers can fill out and move off the road, they wait for the police. I think the arrival of the police should be paid for - stated Forto.

He added that he spoke with Nedeljko Čubrilović, and that the draft law was sent to the Council of Ministers "with a delay".

- Ministers coming from RS refuse to vote for anything without a positive opinion from RS. They have established this political practice... The last time we agreed on everything and when a negative opinion arrived, I realized that it was a waste of time on something that does not work and for which we sought a government reconstruction - he added.

Mehmedović asked why, out of the mentioned 11 laws, the ministry had not drafted a single one, and that only one, which was not planned, was sent to the parliamentary procedure: the Law on the Agency for Provision of Air Navigation Services of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHANSA) - this law is otherwise known to the public as the "son-in-law law" due to favoritism to keep Davorin Primorac, the son-in-law of Dragan Čović, in the position of director.

Forto stated that it concerns 10 laws.

- I can list for each of the laws in which phase of adoption it is... For the Law on Working Hours, all opinions have been collected, all consultations have been held. We are still waiting for the Directorate for European Integration, and it will be ready for the Council of Ministers. The Law on Traffic Safety can be on the Council of Ministers any day. The large Law on Traffic Safety, in terms of consolidation, had over 10 amendments; if we manage to pass these amendments, it would be a sufficient number of amendments to harmonize the integral text - Forto explained.

He also touched upon the Law on the RTV System.

- Considering that it is in the working group and that the directors of all three public services should be there. It is evident that politically they cannot come to the same level. We asked them to agree on collection. It seems there is no goodwill. My hope is that this public service sector will be resolved through EU accession - he stated.

Mehmedović asked about the ethnic representation of employees in the ministry, which is very poor.

- There is an imbalance of Bosniaks in the Ministry. Minister Mitrović tried to hire as many Serbs as possible, and as few Bosniaks as possible. The HDZ did the same before, only they hired Croats. Did you take ethnic structure into account, has the imbalance of Bosniaks been reduced - asked Mehmedović.

Forto stated that currently there are 40 percent Bosniaks, 40 percent Serbs, 18 percent Croats, and 1 percent Others, and that it is evident that Bosniaks are missing.

- I can tell you that when a competition is announced in Banja Luka, there are not many Bosniaks applying. That's from what I've heard colloquially. In my mandate, four people were hired, three Bosniaks and one Serb... I am not a fan of hiring - stated Forto.

Milan Dunović (DF) asked about the regulation for marking vehicles for persons with disabilities, which currently states that only persons with 100% disability can obtain accessibility, while the EU standard is 80%.

- Minister, you did not respect the legal deadline to adopt this regulation. In mid-2023, I was the proposer of the amendment to the Law on the Fundamentals of Road Traffic Safety in BiH in the segment of the right to obtain an accessibility sign for persons with disabilities. It received unanimous support... A year has passed. A person with a 90% disability submits a request for an accessibility sign to the municipal MUP and meets all legal requirements. They are rejected because the MUP refers to the regulation. You have not adapted it yet. It still says 100% disability. When will it finally be adopted - asked Dunović.

Forto stated that the regulation will be adopted quickly, and that the text is ready, to which Dunović said that the deadline was still not met. Dunović conveyed the concerns of the representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, specifically the Association of Authorized Car Importers, who presented three problems related to the regulation.

- Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce stated that they are facing a problem that does not exist in EU countries, which is that customers who buy a new car and want to register it must have three invoices. This creates a problem. The essence is that this is a job for the customs administration, and customers are not burdened by it. They said they presented the problems to the ministry and gave a proposal for a new one. The procedure is still not being facilitated - stated Dunović.

Dunović added that the second regulation is the regulation on homologation, the non-adoption of which causes additional costs for drivers. The third regulation is the regulation on technical inspections, which would simplify procedures.

Jasmin Emrić asked if a working group was formed for the drafting of the law on amendments to the Law on the Fundamentals of Road Traffic Safety in BiH (ZOBS BiH), when it was formed, and if they have submitted a draft law. Forto stated that a working group has been formed.

Emrić stated that there are no results regarding ZOBS. He also referred to the previous hearing regarding the Law on the Agency for Provision of Air Navigation Services of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHANSA) and asked if a public official (Dragan Čović) can use the influence of a public office to gain material or non-material benefits for a related person, the director of BHANSA, his son-in-law, Davorin Primorac.

Forto emphasized that the Law on Conflict of Interest stipulates what Emrić said, but that his department does not have jurisdiction over it.

- The law allows the director to apply for multiple terms... I invite you, as a member of the Commission for Combating Corruption, to initiate the necessary procedures in accordance with the Law that I passed, and you voted for, to address this issue - stated Forto.

Forto also added that the non-limitation of mandates is European practice, to which Emrić asked where it is written.

- I investigated, there is no such directive. It is only in rigid systems where they want to keep things under control - said Emrić.

He also asked if he was aware that Davorin Primorac's brother, Ivica Primorac, has been the head of the economic affairs department since BHANSA was founded. Forto said he was not aware.

- Well, you see. In BHANSA, we have this father-in-law-son-in-law-brother connection. That's a problem - said Emrić.

He asked if he knew that Marin Raspudić, who is reportedly close to Čović, was the acting director of BHANSA from 2010-2013, while during that period Davorin Primorac was a member of the BHANSA Council until he was appointed director.

- Here we only have rotations. Everything goes in circles. Complete control - stated Emrić and said that this can only be resolved by laws, which is why Forto's role is important.

Emrić added that BHANSA's budget is around 80 million KM annually, and that the national structure of employees is also questionable.