HDZ and SNSD again blocked quorum in the House of Peoples of BiH Parliament, two laws stalled

(Patria) - Delegates of SNSD and HDZ BiH again blocked the quorum at today's session when the consideration of the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Public Procurement by urgent procedure was on the agenda. The urgent procedure was adopted by eight votes in favor, after which SNSD delegate Sredoje Nović requested a break. Previously, several laws were adopted and the session proceeded normally until the "contentious" point was reached.

He previously stated that the law should not be considered by urgent procedure, a stance supported by delegate Marina Pendeš.

After a 15-minute break, delegates from SNSD and HDZ did not return to the session, resulting in no quorum for work.

The Speaker of the House of Peoples, Kemal Ademović, granted another 10-minute break, after which the required number of delegates for a quorum did not reappear in the hall.

Nikola Špirić stated that at the Collegium today, they expressed the position that these two laws (the Law on Amendments to the Law on Public Procurement and the Bill on Amendments to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina) should be considered under the regular procedure) so that clubs and delegates would have the opportunity to act with amendments.

"I regret that there was no willingness. We are not prepared to be turned into an audience in the House of Peoples by anyone as a club. If there is a possibility to work according to the Rules of Procedure without the Serb Club, I wish you successful work. We remain available for discussion, but the attempt to transfer the majority from the House of Representatives to the House of Peoples is not yielding results, and I doubt it will, because the Constitution does not allow it, nor does the Serb Club or Nikola Špirić. I thought we had an understanding at the Collegium, but we are not prepared to provide a quorum for the discussion of these laws that turns us into an audience," said Špirić.

Ademović stated that he was adjourning the session, given that one delegate was missing from the Serb Club and two more from the Croat Club, resulting in no quorum.